As Normal As Demigodly Possible
by iamamedicaldoctor
Summary: Annabeth and Percy just wanted some time to be normal for once, but The Fates had other plans. They have to try to make sense of why a little blonde boy and two Hispanic teens might mean the end of the world. And what in Zeus's name does Athena have to do with it? Old friends, new friends, and timeless secrets are revealed as the story goes on. Art by Burdge. *NOW REVISED*
1. Chapter 1: That's my girl

**Disclaimer: I do not own Percy or Annabeth, or their world.**

**However Karter, Joey, and Robbie are all mine. Small comfort I suppose.**

*****NEW REVISED CHAPTER*****

**Percy's POV**

I shifted my feet and stuck my hands in my jean pockets only half listening to what my friends were saying. They were chatting and laughing about something that had happened last week in Spanish or something. I sighed, still daydreaming, and went to run a hand through my hair only to bump with a jolt against the arm of the brunette passing to my right. She turned round to face me, looking up a scowl ready. Then she froze for a second, studying my face, and instead of having a go at me she gave me a dazzling smile and blushed.

A blonde guy, her boyfriend in all likeliness, saw what was happening and put a possessive arm around her as if to tell her 'you're mine remember', her face fell as he led her on. Mortals can be just plain scary, especially the female ones. Actually, it's probably just me. The only reason I find kids like this scary is because I'm not used to them. Normal kids have such different priorities to me. I love my friends, but they're all so worried about exams and reputations. I just want to survive through High School, literally.

I turned to face my friends so I could 'not' listen to their conversation again. I was stood outside on the grass by my school science block with Joey, Karter and Robbie and I was bored, which, we all know, is not a good thing for an ADHD kid to be; I had started to fiddle with my pen, riptide, about ten minutes ago, spinning it around in my fingers.

My mind started to drift, I thought about how Tyson might be getting on, and what might be for dinner, but then, of course, I began to wonder what Annabeth was doing. I missed her correcting me and calling me Seaweed Brain all the time, although I'd deny it if she said I did. I hoped she was missing my idiotic and irrational streak and the way it never fails to make her smile.

I began to remember our first kiss in Mount St. Helens, and all of the ones after that, and all the other great moments we'd had just being together, talking, without the fear of imminent death hanging over us; that's always a plus. Sitting on the beach listening to each other breathing as the waves wash over the sand, she'd lean against my shoulder and I'd kiss her hair and close my eyes and breathe in the salty sea air as the breeze ruffled my hair. I suddenly jolted back to reality to notice that a girl was making 'eyes' at me.

Without realising it I'd begun to grin which isn't so bad in itself, unfortunately I was grinning in the direction of the notoriously gorgeous Elly Manning. Her friends were all giggling at me. I realised she thought I was smiling at her so I gave her a frown and turned my head to focus on Karter, hoping it would blow over before my friends noticed, most specifically Karter. It was too late, Karter swivelled his head round to see who I had been frowning at. He saw the predatory glances I was getting and gave me a withering yet amused look. Great that's all I need Karter on my case, I gulped.

He snorted "Percy Jackson you babe magnet" I gave him a glare, "I swear there is not a girl in this school who doesn't fancy you even if it's even just a tiny bit. Seriously, can you tell me your secret." he said with mock seriousness.

"Try growing a bit." Joey made a dig at Karter's height. Joey towered over everyone at 6.5 feet.

Karter looked to be about to make a retort when he was interrupted by Robbie. "Percy you do realise you could have any girl you wanted dude, you're the captain of the swim team, you're funny, and according to all the girls here," He swivelled his finger in the air, "as much as it pains me to even mention this, you're apparently the best thing on two legs in this city. Which I find hard to believe, but Courtney said so." Robbie said giving me a crooked smile which then turned into a frown at the thought of me with his girlfriend "But you can't pick Courtney." he said quickly, his eyes cold. We all laughed at his territorial instincts and he scowled.

"Guys, I told you I already have a girlfriend" I said, estranged.

"Yes, who we've never met! Perce, we're starting to wonder if she… even exists?" Joey gave me a quizzical look.

My mouth dropped open "You think I'm lying. Why would I lie?"

"No, I don't know, but you make her sound like she's part goddess," Joey says. Karter chuckled.

"You have no idea" I say under my breath.

"With your stories of the long curly blonde hair and beautiful stormy grey eyes and the perfect face and…you get the idea." Joey tries to imitate me, all dreamy eyed over Annabeth. "We're just not sure she's everything you make out to be." He opens his mouth to carry on but my furious 'I will speak now' look forces it shut.

"I can't believe you need proof. I'm your friend, not your kid. You're all idiots." I say, half distressed, half kidding, my eyes flicking from one unimpressed glare to the next. I cracked, "Fine! She's visiting this weekend anyway. She said she didn't know exactly when; however, I'm sure we can make time for you guys." I tried to make them feel guilty about depriving me of alone time with her. I'd left out the bit that it was mostly so she could check over Olympus, to make sure everything was being built to plan and on schedule; which meant even less time with her. That would either freak them out or force them to conclude I'm insane.

"She will take your breath away, I promise you that" I said with complete conviction. Just then some boy nearby wolf-whistled and we turned to see what he was looking at. This was of course a girl. My girl. She was even lovelier than I remembered; photos just don't do her justice.

I felt a slight tingle in the small of my back as I looked at her. Her golden locks were brought up into a ponytail, though some wisps had escaped and curled down her neck. She was dressed in the grey top with a silver imprint of an owl that Thalia had given her last Christmas.

She had denim shorts and a pair of ankle high black converses on. From her ears hung her favourite little owl earrings and I could see the silver chain that was attached to her locket, an anniversary present from me, around her neck as it glinted in the sunlight. Her camp necklace was there too. Her tan made her appear to be glowing. Her startling grey eyes pierced into a one boy who came a little too close for comfort, as if to strike up a conversation of the more intimate kind.

A little voice in the back of my head said 'that's my girl, you're in for it now idiot'. He backed off looking burnt. Her being here was Aphrodite's doing, I knew it, and only the Goddess of love could have manufactured this happening like this at the exact moment I had said 'she will take your breath away'. The moment was perfect and so was Annabeth, and I loved it.

There were a few more cat calls, mostly from the same idiot guys. The guys that thought they were God's gift to women, you know the type. The group of girls who had been giving me eyes were pulled into a tight group muttering furiously away to one another in the corner of my eye. Some gave her jealous, interested or just plain hating looks. Most people however were stood there carrying on with their lives but their eyes flickered to Annabeth, they were completely curious as to who this stranger was. By now Annabeth had seen me; her eyes were focused on mine. I began to lose myself in them, and I didn't mind one bit. I slipped into the same small smile I had on when I was thinking about her.

"Who is that?" Robbie murmured.

"I don't know but she's eyeing up Percy" Karter said in a voice that cracked with laughter "you still completely sure you have a girlfriend Perce?" He began to chuckle.

I tore my eyes away from Annabeth's and ignored that last comment "Well guys," I said "looks like you don't have to wait till the weekend to meet Annabeth." I felt triumphant and I think it showed on my face. I felt my eyes flash with it as I looked at them.

Their faces were priceless as they fitted the pieces together.

"Perce, I don't think your descriptions have being doing her justice" Joey said completely contradicting what he had been saying less than a minute before.

"I'll be back," I told them as I began to walk toward her, reaching a jog in the last few paces. She threw her arms around my neck as I threw mine around her waist and lifted her off the ground in a warm and long awaited embrace. When I finally set her on the ground she pulled me in for another quick and desperate hug, "I really missed you Seaweed brain". She pulled away again, her hands resting on my chest as she smiled up at me. The noise around us seemed to die a little.

"Missed you, Wise girl" I murmured. I could hear a couple of 'aws' in the background amongst the noise. It was like standing right outside the Aphrodite cabin on Valentine's Day.

I'm not really one for public displays of affection, but special circumstances I don't care where I am, to be honest it wouldn't have mattered if I was in the middle of Zeus's throne room in the middle of the winter solstice with all twelve Olympians and Hades watching me. I hadn't seen my girlfriend in months and I was going to kiss her; I splayed my finger across her lower back and drew her toward me for a small kiss. Her lips were silky and soft like I remembered.

I trembled as a cosy fizzing sensation started at my weak spot in the small of my back and spread through my body. The world just seemed a tiny bit warmer.

She pushed me away gently, much to my disappointment, lacing her fingers into mine, she whispered in my ear, "I think we should go somewhere less public". I knew a few nosy people were staring, I could feel their eyes on me.

I motioned to friends that I was going inside. From Karter's face I could tell I had got them good.

**Please leave a review if you want me to carry on with this story. Thanks.**


	2. Chapter 2: Introductions

**PERCY AND ANNABETH AREN'T MINE**

**BUT AREN'T BUT THE MORTAL SCHOOL FRIENDS ARE. (ENTHUSIASTIC CLAPPING) **

**YER I KNOW BIG ACHEIVEMENT HUH.**

**A WORD BY THE AUTHORS SO LISTEN UP: Hey People I ****didn't expect so many people to review (23 in twelve hours on my second fanfic ever, if you like this you might like my other fanfic so check it out it's another PJO). Really boosted my confidence so thanks ****.It was going to be a one-shot but I decided to ****carry on the story for you guys. Cause I'm brill like that. ****Enjoy!**

**GREENSNEAKERS OUT. **

Annabeth's POV

He pulled me through the crowds in the corridor. His lovely green eyes sparkled in the sun like the Atlantic on a summer's day. I felt my lips curve into a smile as I looked at his face. He'd always been cute but he was now on the peak of seriously gorgeous. The genes of a god help I suppose. His dark hair was ruffled just the way I liked it, not that I'd ever let him know that. I wouldn't want his head to blow up so much he can't get through doorways.

He pulled me into an abandoned classroom and gave me a grin and showed his pearly white teeth. My heart melted. I looked him up and down; he was wearing a black star wars t-shirt that had the words 'come to the dark side, we have cookies' on it. A Christmas present from Thalia, she got us all personalized t-shirts. I was wearing my owl one as well. He had baggy jeans on and a pair of black trainers. I could see the leather string that had his camp beads on, strung around his neck.

He must have noticed me drinking in his appearance because he chuckled and said "Checking me out Wise girl?" I scrunched my nose up in disgust and said "You wish barnacle boy" even though I guess I had been. Of course thinking of this colour rose in my cheeks. He saw this and stroked them.

He put his hands back on my hips and I slipped my hands round his neck, cupped the back of it and brought his face down to meet mine. Our lips brushed together and my heart started doing little jumping jacks. The kiss became deeper and my heart began to race around doing 360's in my chest. I leant in closer and closer till I could feel his heart beating in time with mine against me. I ran my left hand through his soft locks of hair.

"uh-hum" a male voice echoed out behind me.

We jumped apart, my face and ears were burning. There were five people standing by the door. I realised I recognised one. Percy's step-father stood before me his eyebrows high on his forehead. I said "Hi, . Nice to see you again" in a slightly shaky tone. I gave Percy a withering look and said "out of all the classrooms in the school you chose your step-fathers" and he being the seaweed brain he is gave me a shrug and a vacant look. I turned to look at Paul again, a look of recognition passed across his face.

He smiled and spoke again in a voice that reminded me of hot chocolate "Annabeth, good to see you again, it's been a while" he came forward and gave me a little hug. He was such a nice man I can see why he and Sally, Percy's mum had clicked. I didn't know him that well since I don't get to visit New York often and when I do I spend a lot of time in Olympus or alone with Percy, but Paul's an easy man to get along with.

When Paul and I separated my eyes drifted over to a bunch of four kids. A tall, gangly black guy stood leaning on the wall, his expression reminded me of the Stoll brothers except his expression also had a knowing streak to it. Like he knew a secret I didn't and he was going to tease me about it. I wondered if he always looked like that or if it was just for me.

There was also a slightly shorter blonde guy with brown eyes and a t-shirt on that a basketball on it, he had his arm around a pretty, petite white-blonde girl that had pale blue eyes who was wearing a pink long top and a pair of black leggings. They were both looking at Percy questioningly.

There was another boy there that reminded me of Nico a bit. However he looked a little bit older than the son of Hades, but still younger than Percy and me. Looking at him made me feel happy and I didn't know why, it was like he just radiated joy. His hair was less shaggy and his eyes were the colour of hazelnuts but there was definitely something about him that was like Nico. He stood with his arms crossed as he scanned me a smile on his face. Not in a purvey way like the jerks outside but like if he was deciding if I was a friend of a foe. He then relaxed a bit and gave me a big crooked smile. I think I must have passed the test.

Percy broke the silence "Um, hey guys this Annabeth" his friends gave me some small smiles "Annabeth meet the guys…oh…that's …um Courtney she's not a guy…obviously but she's a close friend, she's Robbie's girlfriend". He pointed to the small blonde girl that had the blonde guys arm around her. She gave me a reassuring smile. As if to tell that I had at least one ally in the room. I guessed the blonde guy must be Robbie.

Percy continued "And this Joey" he said and the tall boy nodded at me "he's the captain of the basketball team and he has a girlfriend called Sky but she doesn't hang out with us all the time" Percy then motioned over to the Nico like boy "this is Karter, he's a sophomore but he's my right hand man on the swim team" Karter gave me a cute grin that made him look younger than he was. I decided he was not a similar to Nico as I had first thought even though they had similar colouring. He was too happy.

"You know you could have at least brought in a picture so we knew what she looked like Perce" Karter said.

"Nah why would he do, that it would have spoilt all the fun of today" Joey said as he came away from the wall.

"Well I don't feel today has been great for everyone. I swear as you walked off I could feel peoples hopes fading" Karter said, I wasn't sure if he was joking or not even though he was still smiling but he seemed serious. His eyes sparkled with Joy. There was something about him that made me feel I was missing something.

"Well now everyone knows each other" Paul said, I'd almost forgotten he was there. "You might want to get a shuffle on because I have a junior class in here in about thirty seconds" he said looking at his watch.

"Oh that's us" Courtney said tugging Robbie over to a desk at the front of the class. Robbie looked like he was used to being tugged around by his girlfriend. Well now I know who wears the pants in their relationship.

"And me" Percy said squeezing my hand. His eyes bore into me "Where are you staying?"

"A hotel just round the corner from you for a few nights" he took deep breath and furrowed his eyebrows as if to ask me something very important put then he changed expression quickly.

"Can I take you out tonight?" Perfect I thought. I can tell him the news tonight. But I got the feeling that hadn't been the original question.

"Of course, I don't have to visit family till tomorrow" By that I meant Olympus and thankfully it sunk into his thick head. So I didn't have to try and explain in front of a load of mortals.

"Cool, text me the address of the hotel and I'll pick you up at seven" he gave me another quick kiss and I left the classroom just as students were starting to file in.

I avoided everyone's gazes as I left the school. Uh…some mortal boys are disgusting. I had to go by Percy's home where I had left my bags. Perfect I could catch-up with Sally.

**There are surprises on the horizon. Sorry I'm English so I might have got the American school system mixed up a bit. I did some research so it should be ok. The next chapter will probably be up within the next week.**

**Peace out!**


	3. Chapter 3:This is Home

**I do not own Percy or Annabeth…or Sally for that matter (well not yet HE HE HE) or maybe I'm rick incognito.**

**LISTEN UP PEEPS: Hey guys sorry the last chapter was a bit rushed but I have loads of great ideas for the future of this story and I wanted to kick them off straight away, if all goes to plan THREE MAJOR POINTS IN THE STORY WILL BE REVELEADED in the next few chapters. **

**Oh and thanks to HARRYPOTTERANDPERCYJACKSONFAN for the comment YOU'RE BRITISH! =-) **

**I say to you HELL YEH! And extremely proud of it. I live in surrey so I got the posh accent as well. Woopie! **

**GREENSNEAKERS OUT**

**Percy's POV**

Today had been a good day. No Homework, easy lessons and best of all a special visitor. Plus hanging around with Karter gives you a high like nothing else.

I ran across the busy street toward my apartment building there was no need for me to have a car even though I can drive because, one Paul has to drive to school so I just catch a lift with him some days. Though most of the time I walk, I like being part of the New York buzz. It makes me feel more human, I love being a demigod, I do. It's the reason for my cool powers and I wouldn't have met some of my closest friends if I wasn't, but it can be overwhelming, frustrating and just plain scary sometimes.

I jogged up the stairs; we're only on the third floor. Our front door's very noticeable as its different shades of blue. Rachel was over when we were painting it and she insisted on helping out, (in other words she took over) so it's got a weird swirly pattern on it that's kind of cool. It's sort of resembles waves so it's ok with me, plus did I mention it's blue.

I fiddled with my keys and adjusted my shoulder strap. Keys and I don't have a good history, they always hide from me. I called out to see if anyone was home and I heard giggling from the kitchen. I went to find out who my mom was with though I had a pretty good idea. I was going to go to the kitchen to get a snack like I always do anyway. What? ...I'm a growing boy. I nearly tripped over the three large silver suitcases that were stood by the door. Wow, that's a lot for one weekend. Girls can be so unpractical but Annabeth was usually an exception.

Annabeth and my mom were curled up round the table drinking cups of coffee **(was going to say tea but I realised in time that's a British thing****, though I suppose Americans must drink it too**** sometimes****…right?****)**.I swear my mom loves Annabeth more than me or at least as much, if Annabeth and I ever broke up, not that I'm ever going to let that happen, she will be devastated, probably not more than me though.

They had obviously been gossiping, maybe about the whole Katie and Travis scandal (blah blah blah gods who cares they've together for ages but no one noticed) or more likely me. It was unfortunately probably the latter. I dumped my bag a kissed my mom on the cheek. I'm a loving son but not a momma's boy no matter what the Ares cabin says. **(check out the word on Percy Jackson by bittersweet blossom, its great)****. **

"Hey mom, hey Annabeth" I said moving round the table and stroking one of the grey strands of Annabeth's hair and tucking it behind her ear before kissing the top of her head. Couldn't let her feel left out now could I?

"Hey sweetheart" my mom said "Good day at school?"

"Oh yes, an epic one in fact" I gave Annabeth a knowing look. Annabeth blushed. If my mom noticed she didn't comment.

"Oh, really, what happened that was so epic" she emphasized the epic.

"Well, my totally awesome girlfriend, that my friends were starting to think was imaginary, visited me during lunch causing an absolute riot. Everyone now thinks I'm the bomb for landing a girl so…so…so… Annabeth" I said without breathing, struggling to find a word to describe Annabeth.

My mom sat with her arms crossed and an amused expression on her beautiful face. It was at moments like this I realised why my dad had fallen for her; he'd called her a "Queen among women" for god's sake. He had wanted to build a palace under the sea for her. She didn't look old enough to have me as a son.

"I thought you already were "the bomb"" Annabeth used her fingers to speech marks round "the bomb" before folding her arms again.

"Why do you have to always have to analyse my sentences wise girl?" she just rolled her eyes at me and didn't say anything so I carried on "And yes I am by the way. I'm captain for the swim team, point guard on the basketball team, and not to mention my smoking good looks." I leant on the kitchen counter my arms crossed "All 'n all making me a hit with the ladies." I ran my fingers through my hair and gave them a slightly sleazy smile. The girls burst out laughing.

"What?" I ask pretending to be mystified.

"And on that note, I'm gonna get going" Annabeth got up still giggling "I should have got to the hotel two hours ago"

"Can't you stay a bit longer; I only got in a minute ago." I say hurt.

"Sorry seaweed brain but I've got to go to the hotel sometime"

An idea popped into my head "No you don't"

"What?" she said confused. I savoured this moment, after all how many times in my life am I going to get to confuse this girl genius.

"You could stay with me…I mean us" Annabeth's eyebrows shot up her hands still on her suitcases.

I turned to my mother "She could stay in the guest bedroom couldn't she?"

"Of course she can" she said in Annabeth's direction. She then looked at me and I got a stern look "and I mean the guest bedroom Percy". Annabeth and I both turned the colour of ripe tomatoes.

"What do you say Annabeth" I looked at her; she was still bright red "Stay here, you count as family now anyway, the idea of you staying in a hotel when we've got a spare bedroom doesn't feel right".

She gave me a tiny smile and released the suitcases "Well I guess this means I don't have to lug all my stuff round the corner."

I pulled her into a hug and whispered into her ear "This is going to be great". We pulled apart. I stared into her eyes; silver grey framed with dark lashes.

"Ok that's that then" my mom interrupted "Let's get you settled and unpack the important stuff, there's no point in unpacking everything when you're only staying the weekend and Percy can wash up in here"

"Mom" I whined.

"Someone has to do it and I'm sure Annabeth doesn't want you rifling through her underwear."

I mumbled under my breath that I'd seen it all before well sort off (that's a story for another day), but I couldn't say that in front of my mum. I scooped the mugs off the table and began to fill the sink with hot water. I then had another amazing idea; I could use my powers and get it done quicker.

**Annabeth's POV**

I was just unpacking the shoes out my suitcase when I heard a yell from the kitchen. "Percy, what on earth is…?" I poked my head round the kitchen door to see a cup hurtling straight for me. Then just when I thought I was going to end up in hospital, the cup stopped abruptly and fell to the floor, smashing on contact. The part of the kitchen that surrounded the sink glimmered with the water and soap suds that covered it. Percy looked like a four year old that had just been caught drawing with a crayon on the walls.

"Percy! What are you doing?" Sally said firmly.

"Sorry I was…experimenting" he said looking at the floor.

"Well save you experiments for camp, you almost took Annabeth's eye out." Sally continued "Maybe you should just help Annabeth unpack and I'll wash up" It was a command not a question. Percy kept in eyes on the floor but they sparkled when Sally spoke. That was what he had wanted all along. Gods my boyfriend's a sly dog, I wonder if he planned the whole thing.

**Hey hope you enjoyed it. Once again I apologise if I got any American lingo wrong. The next chapter is ****The date**** so ALERT or FAVORITE. **

**SO one Major point has been revealed; Annabeth is staying at Percy's. Yes you guessed it already KIRANSOMERS. But what are the other two, well the next one will be revealed in THE DATE so keep reading!**

**PEACE OUT!**

**Hey I've redone this chapter so the mums now say mom and I tweaked some other things, thanks go to those who gave me pointers on that front. YOU GUYS ROCK.**

**PEACE OUT!(…again)**


	4. Chapter 4: The Date

**For the last time I do not own this couple. Gods how many times to I have to type this!**

**I was going to do the actual eating part but nothing would have happened except Percy probably doing something cheesy. Hope you enjoy.**

**GREENSNEAKERS OUT**

**Percy's POV**

It was late. She was wearing a strapless red dress that ended just under her knees. A white shawl was wrapped around her shoulders and her white gold earrings glinted in the light of the moon. Her eyes shined like stars as they examined the scene in front of them the way they always do.

Her golden hair draped past her shoulders, beams of sunlight in a world of shadows, they were arranged into loose ringlets as usual but they looked as if they had been organized to look that way. I wonder how I got so lucky, but then luck didn't really have much to do with it, it was mostly because of the fates. Of course there was Aphrodite to thank too. Annabeth almost glided along the path, the skirt of her dress swished around her Californian girl legs.

I'd told her to dress up fancy because we were going to my favourite upmarket seafood restaurant. Just because your friends with fish doesn't mean they don't taste delicious. We'd finished our meals, paid, then left. Somehow we had ended up strolling around central park. The bark on the trees was almost silver in the light and they reminded me of Thalia's pine.

Yes, I know the crime rate's high here, I should be more responsible, but honestly if I pull out riptide they'll run off. I mean what idiot's going to attack an angry guy with a baseball bat (well that's what riptide looks like to mortals.)

Annabeth looked at me and I snapped out of the dreamlike state I'd had been slumbering in "Percy?"

"Yes?"

"Um, you know that I came to see you at school?"

"Yes?" I wasn't sure where she was going with this.

"Well I wasn't the specifically to see you." I started to panic. She wasn't there to see me, well then who was she there to see. Gods she can't have fallen for one of those brain damaged football idiots could she? I mean Annabeth's always been unpredictable but…, wait did she bring me here to break up with me? Gods that would cause tension at camp." My mind filled with all the possibilities but the right one.

She saw I was panicking "No, no I was there to see the school." she told me giving me a reassuring smile as if that explained everything. I turned to confusion.

"The school?"

"Yes Percy, I'm transferring…this is your big surprise. Why do you look so …terrified?" I was speechless for a second and I must have looked gormless. My eyes scan her face, she looked hurt. She thought I didn't want her here.

"What? No I'm just dumbstruck that's all." I smiled at her "I…I…I mean this is amazing, wow, you're staying in New York" she nodded at me shyly and I pulled her into my chest "Well then…wait? And coming to Goode?"

"Yep, that is what I just implied seaweed brain." She rolled her eyes up at me.

"That's great but why?"

"Mom suggested that I move closer to Olympus so I can oversee the rebuilding. Perfecting it, and altering it to fit everyone's wishes. At the moment Aphrodite wants a statue of herself in every room, and don't even get me started on Ares. I have my work cut out for me." she said "Being closer to camp is a plus, Dad wasn't so happy about the idea at first but he came round, he wanted me to board so I didn't have to rent an apartment but I convinced him that…"

I interrupted "Nu uh, you're staying at mine wise girl."

"What? I can't do that, you're kidding. Your parents won't want me hanging around the place all the time."

"Oh really, well you know what, when we get back I'll pop the question and see what they says." I gave her a "_beat that__"_ expression. My mom would love having another girl around, and Paul thinks Annabeth "has got great potential" as I heard him say, which basically mean he thinks she's the best thing since Charles dickens.

She scowled "Percy" she said under her breath "I don't think my mom will like this?" she raised her eyebrows.

"So you accept?" I grinned.

"For now, but trust me something will come up that will prevent this." She said knowingly.

"Yes, you said yes?" It was a rhetorical question but she answered it.

"Yes. Yes I did." She smirked crossing her arms. I scooped her into my arms and spun her round. I pressed my lips to hers. We moulded around each other. She leant into me and I stumbled back slightly her form still tightly pressed against mine. I fell onto some tree roots and she landed on top of me. "Ow" I mutter onto her mouth, it didn't really hurt it was just a reflex.

Annabeth lifted herself off of me "Oh Percy, I'm so sorry." she looked guiltily into my eyes.

I chuckled "Annabeth its fine, Curse of Achilles remember." She nodded a relived look on her face, and I brought her head down so we could kiss again but Annabeth had other plans. She thumped me in the arm.

"Come on kelp head we should get back it's almost…oh gods it's almost twelve." she helped me up looking at her watch, and tugged me with her back along the path.

"Do you think we got locked out?" Annabeth laughed when I said this.

"They don't lock central park seaweed brain; I thought you were a New Yorker?" We ran past the lake and out onto the streets of my city.

**This is just a short one to keep you guys interested. Hope you like. I will update soon.**


	5. Chapter 5: The unspoken truth

**Ta da it's finished hope you like!**

**Greensneakers o…it's got boring now **

Seriously, Venus, by Frances Avalon, or was it Frankie, that song has been around since like…like…I don't know, but around thirty years. I'm not sure the gods are as up to date as they like to think. _"…Venus, goddess of love that you are, __surely__ the things I ask, Can't be too great a task, Venus, if you do, I promise that I always will be true, I'll give__ her all the love I have to give__…__" _I can guess who requested this song. "… _Venu__s, goddess of love that you are, __surely__ the things I ask, __Can't be too great a task__…"_

"Someone's got a good sense of her own importance" Annabeth chuckled. She had been listening to the song too.

I smiled and took her hand as the gold doors dinged open. I went to step out of the elevator. Just then a stone pillar whooshed past, yes literally a stone on, the kind they use on temples, causing me to stumble back into the elevator. When it moved out the way I stepped out tentivly, ready to knock Annabeth out the way if another came along.

"Sorry guys" a minor godling called out from a few yards away, he suddenly realised who we were, or at least who Annabeth was "Hey Miss Chase…I mean um…I was just…um…" he stuttered worried and enthralled, an immortal was in awe of Annabeth? I shot her a look and mouthed _Miss Chase_ at her. She gave me a withering glance and turned to address the godling.

"Don't worry, just get it over to the west side, slowly, it's not a race and some of us aren't immortal". The godling ran off again closely followed by the large floating marble pillar. I suddenly realised it wasn't one of a kind.

Bits of buildings, furniture, clothing not to mention toiletries were floating all over the place. Satyrs and godlings ran around with clipboards, hammers, socks, toothbrushes you name it one of them had it. One actually ran past with the Mona Lisa under her arm. I didn't know if it was the real one but the Gods don't like anything less than the original. I guess this is what happens when you unload a home that's been lived in for eons; imagine how old some of the stuff they found must be.

"How do we get through that, and why didn't you tell me to bring my armour" I joked, she rolled her eyes, again.

"Just try not to get concussed" she gestured for me to follow her.

"So where are we going exactly?"

"Well I need to check the all the materials have been delivered, sorted and placed according, I also have to check on the building staff to make sure they're all competent and properly assigned" she said and I could tell she loved explaining even though she was trying to hide it.

"And in English"

She slumped her shoulders and sighed "I'm going to wander round to see if it's all going to plan" she saw my look of disgust "You don't have to come Percy" she looked amused at my obvious distain "I don't need you making stupid comments when I'm trying to work"

I grinned and gave her bear hug "I'm going to go see Bessie, you go kick ass ok?" pointing at her as I ran off up the mountain dodging toilet after toilet. Do gods even go to the loo?

When I got to the doors of the throne room I looked back down over the ledge onto the squirming dots. I spotted a blonde, orange and blue dot in the distance, all the other dots parted as it weaved through them.

"Hello Perseus" My only thought was _oh no_ as I looked into a gorgeously severe pair of grey eyes.

"Hello Athena" I took a deep breath "fancy seeing you here" as soon as I said that I realised how stupid that sounded. Where else would she be, apart from maybe a lecture on bio-physics at Yale. Annabeth had told me her mom was very interested in that at the moment. What's Bio-physics? "Is there anything I can do for?" _Die perhaps_ I thought.

I was expecting her to say no "Yes in fact I have something I would like to discuss with you" her face was expressionless, maybe a little proud.

"Oh…ok" I was seriously thinking about looking at my watch and going _oh dear me is that the time, gotta go._ But I don't think that would work on the goddess of wisdom.

"It is about my daughter" I was seriously worried now. I hope Elysium is as good as people make out.

I moved to stand in front of her, I readied myself. "Do you remember what I asked you before" I shook my head "Do you care for her?" Athena stared me down. I looked down to peer at the blonde dot again. She was stood by a half-finished temple of Apollo, scribbling something on a clipboard

"More than my own life" I said truthfully, Athena nodded before asking the big one.

"Do you love her?" she kept her eyes fixed on my face searching for any sign of deception.

I didn't even have to think about it "Yes" my voice cracked as I voiced the unspoken truth, I forgotten who I was talking to. My eyes were focused on Annabeth, not wanting to miss a thing. We stood for a minute as we gazed upon the young architect.

"Then you have my permission to court her" The goddess broke the silence. I could hear the approval in her voice. _pheww_.

"Court her?" I asked

"Date her"

"Oh" I was kind of already doing that but now I had her mothers permission.

"I will leave you now, but know this Perseus, if you break my daughter's heart, you will have made an enemy that has the ability to make sure you never excel at anything. I will make your life so stressful you will truly wish you had never been born" Venom filled her eyes and voice and I nodded sharply.

I put a hand over my eyes as a bright godly light shined taking her of to scare someone else.

It took me a minute to recover. _Oh you know…the usual…__m__y girlfriends mom just threatened to kill all my dreams and hopes if I ever hurt her daughter._How many sixteen year old boys can say that? I made my over to Bessie's pool only stopping to bow too Zeus who was deep in thought. He nodded and waved me away. I spoke to Bessie in hushed tones, I talked of my life and he listened, at least I think he did, his big brown eyes never left my face.

I was still there when Annabeth came and found me "Hey, You ok?"

"Yer, why wouldn't I be?" I answered a little too quickly. Standing up and shoving my hands in my pockets.

"Percy, you're acting a little weird, if something's wrong just tell me" She stared me down like her mother had done.

"There's something I have to tell you" I took her hand and guided her down the mountain, swerving to avoid a sharp looking statue of Ares. I pulled her through the gate of the north garden also known as the garden of heroes; it's in memory of all demi-gods who've died in battle. It was one of the few places Kronos hardly touched. Intricate fountains spouted ichor. Enchanted plants glowed as they waved in the light breeze their soft light bathed the gold and silver statues of brave children of the gods as they stood to attention among the greenery. A whole new section was being added in memory of those who died in the Battle against Kronos. Selena, Bekondorf, Micheal and all the others would never be forgotten.

"Percy, why are we…?" I blocked Annabeth's question with my lips before quickly pulling back and saying those three words. The words that everyone hopes someone someday will say to them, and mean it, and I meant them more than anything I'd ever said before.

"I think…Annabeth…I think…I love you" There I finally said it. Annabeth looked like someone had clonked her round the head with a cudgel. She took a deep as the words sunk in. She put her hands on my cheeks and stepped in toward me till our noses were touching. I placed my hands on her back.

She said it softly "I love you too" a warm feeling spread through my body. She nuzzled into my shoulder and my lips brushed the top of her ear. We stood like that for a minute "How long have you…?" she didn't finish but I knew what the question was.

"A long time I think, I just didn't realise it until…recently" I didn't mention Athena. I didn't want to talk about that just yet.

"I think I've known a long time too, I just never thought about it much." Annabeth's breath curled against my neck. "So I guess we both didn't want to say it in case the other didn't feel the same way." Annabeth said and it was true, that was it. That had been haunting me, that question, what if she doesn't love me back? I'm lucky I got someone so clever. I need someone to stop me doing something stupid. She was right our love had the unspoken truth for a long time.

**Was it good or bad? Leave reviews they make my day.**

**Most chapters are planned but this one just sort came out of my thoughts, well I knew I was going to do one on Olympus but I wasn't sure what then the Athena thing just…you know…got in there somehow.**

**The next one will be Annabeth's first day at Goode and it's going to be super-duper.**

**PEACE OUT!**


	6. Chapter 6 Part 1: First day

**Dam you guys making me feel guilty about not updating for a few days. I should be doing my Geography homework right now. If I get another caution for homework I'll get an after-school detention and probably be grounded for like…ever. Aren't I bad. I'll copy and paste some rubbish later. No probs.**

**Please R&R**

Annabeth's POV

I was in the middle of getting dressed when I felt my stomach flip over. I was nervous, I mean I wasn't shaking but it's still making me feel slightly funny in my stomach. I was starting to wonder if the whole New York transferring idea was so great after all. It had sounded great in my head but…

"You ready…oh sorry Annabeth" Percy walked in to see me with only a bra and shorts on. He turned around chuckling. What is it with boys and knocking? I swear he does it to annoy me or maybe he… I pushed that thought from my head.

"Percy, the great sub-feature about doors is they make a knocking sound when you hit them" I said acidly. I slipped on a grey strappy top and a blue checked shirt that I left unbuttoned. I put my hands on my hips and said "Ok seaweed brain you can look now" I wasn't embarrassed as much as annoyed.

"I've seen it all before Annabeth" he swivelled round to meet my gaze his arms were crossed, he looked highly amused.

"Not "it all" "

"I meant you in your underwear" he said sarkily and I narrowed my eyes.

"Thanks again to your terrible knocking skills, I thought we had agreed to forget about that"

"Who says I can" he arched his eyebrows suggestively.

"No one, but if you ever mention it again especially in public or in front of parents I will make you feel such pain you will beg to hold up the sky instead." I moved in till we were chest to chest. When did he get so tall?

"Annabeth seriously I'm your boyfriend, and I have the curse of Achilles plus if I even hinted it in front of your mom you'd have to wait till she'd finished and by that time I'd probably resemble a large peppercorn " He looked pleased with himself. He knew he'd won; a rare treat for him.

"Ugghh…just get out you pervert" I shoved him out the door; he had started laughing out loud. I grabbed my bag and followed him.

The kitchen had recovered from its bubble bath, curtsy of Percy. Sally was sat at the table eating toast and reading a book called "girl in translation". Paul had finished his cereal and was reading the New York Times. I grabbed a bowl, milk, spoon and the cap'n crunch and poured myself a bowl. Percy followed his mom's lead and put some toast in.

"Looking forward to your first day at Goode?" Paul looked up from his newspaper and smiled as I sat down.

"I guess so, I mean…the classes all look very good" I poked my cereal with my spoon. Paul eyebrows scrunched together as he detected the uncertainty in my voice.

Sally tore her eyes away from her book and spoke up "Oh sweetie don't worry too much, a few days and you'll be thinking how stupid you were for getting stressed over it" she squeezed my hand, the one that wasn't occupied with holding the spoon, and gave me a motherly smile.

"Don't worry, I'll protect you" Percy promised, his lips pressed against my left temple as he sat down next to me placing his toast on the table carefully. He said it like a three year old would say _"You can play with my castle if you want"_ while in the sandbox. That thought made me smile.

"I know" I squeezed his forearm. Sally and Paul were both pretending to read, I liked them better for that, even though I loved them already for all they had done for me. Most parents would interrupt the moment. I know my dad would of.

Percy was nearly finished his toast when Paul announced it was time to go. The stomach flipping started again.

Percy stuffed the last of his toast into his mouth and ran upstairs. I followed him up and we brushed our teeth. He finished before me and ran out again. I came downstairs to find that Paul was collecting files and shoving them in his satchel but Percy was nowhere to be seen.

Then I heard someone thundering down the staircase. Percy emerged grinning three photos in his hand. He held them up to show me. One was of Percy, Thalia, Nico, Grover and I. I moved closer to get a good look. We were bunched together in the sun on the porch of the big house. We were all wearing camp half-blood t-shirts even Nico and Thalia.

Thalia was on one side of me her arms crossed over her silver parka. Grover had his fake feet on but the half chewed coke can in his hand gave him away a little. Even Nico had managed a small smile but his black jeans, black coat (Gods man it's the middle of summer) and black converses with skulls on plus the jewellery gave him away as the lord of death he was. Percy was sat in the middle and I was too his left, his arm was around my shoulders and my hand was on his knee, we were both grinning. Percy looked really hot and I have to admit I didn't look too bad either. I remembered Juniper taking that picture at the end of the summer of the Titian war.

The next picture was of me and Percy alone and I didn't recognise it at all. We looked about ten, eleven but I didn't know Percy till I was twelve so I guess it must have been taken Percy's first summer. Gods we looked so young, that was five years ago? We were sat on a bench outside the Athena cabin. I had a large book on my lap, go figure. Percy was looking the opposite direction to me and grinning cutely. I was scowling at him, probably for not paying attention. It was defiantly of one of Percy's first Greek lessons.

The last one was of Percy and I again. This one had been taken by a passer-by for us when Percy took me to Montauk for the weekend. That was a few weeks after the summer, it would, I guess, have been the last time I saw him. We were stood on the beach, the ocean stretched out toward the bright horizon behind us. Percy was stood behind me his arms around my waist and his chin rested on my shoulder. My hands were folded over his. We were smiling. My eyes were focused on the camera but Percy's were on my face. This sign of affection made my heart stutter a little as I handed the photos back.

"I've been meaning to put these in my locker for a while, I just kept forgetting them" Percy didn't take his eyes of the photos.

"Seriously people we need to get a shuffle on" Paul whined as he waited by the door. Percy shoved the pictures in his rucksack and we made our way to Pauls Prius.

We slipped into the front office so I could collect my Schedule and locker combination. The receptionist gave me them and Percy peered over my shoulder as I read them.

"Great, I told you phoning them to tell them to put you in as many classes with me as they could was a good idea" His eyes shined "Look you're in my homeroom as well and your locker's right next to mine"

I had a feeling that it might have been more Pauls influence than anything else but I wasn't going to kill Percy's buzz.

"Come on, why don't you show me where my locker is" I said

He seemed happy enough with the idea "Follow me then m'lady" he offered his arm and I took it.

We walked through the corridors and whispers trailed us. It was even worse than last week. I could hear snippets of conversations "…she is staying, I wonder how long?" too "…think they've been together long…" "…Sure kept that quiet…" doesn't anyone have anything better to do than gossip about the new kid in this place. A voice in the back of my mind was telling me to shout at them but I would never do that, there was too much drama in Percy's life already without adding crazy girlfriend to the list.

"Okay, here we are" he banged on a grey locker door.

"Thank you" I said politely, I turned the combination knob so I could start to load my books in.

"No problemó wise girl" He gave me a crooked smile as he unlocked his locker and got the three photos and some blu tack to start sticking them to the inside of his locker.

When I'd finished ordering my things I glanced over to look at Percy, he was admiring the photos. I shuffled over a bit and slipped under his arm so it was around my shoulders.

"You really didn't like me much back then did you?" I got a questioning look. He was of course talking about the oldest picture, the Greek lesson.

"I had been told I was meant to hate you, anyway you were getting distracted every two seconds, and it was really annoying." I counter-struck his accusation.

"That was the ADHD, you can't blame me for that" He whined.

"Oh come on you weren't even trying to concentrate" I scoffed.

"Yes I was"

"No you weren't" I laughed

"Yes I was"

"No you were not"

"Are we seriously fighting over some tiny thing that happened over five years ago?" He was mentally backing up. He knew he was losing.

"Yes" I looked up him, my arms folded across my chest.

He looked at his watch, "Common we need to get to homeroom" he laced his fingers in-between mine.

"Excuses, excuses" I said in undertone. We strolled through the corridors till we reached a small classroom where a middle-aged slightly Native American looking man in a shirt and slacks was perched on the front desk. He was obviously Mr Branson; he was the tutor for our homeroom. A few other juniors were milling around.

Percy called over to the man "Hey Mr Branson, this is Annabeth Chase" The bespectacled tutor looked up from the laptop on his knee and gave me a warm smile. The deep crows feet by his eyes gave him away as someone who did that a lot. I liked him already.

"Ah yes, the transfer student, Percy called to ask me to help you get into this home group so I'm guessing you two aren't strangers" His eyebrows went up a bit.

"I…err…we..." I started colour rising in my face to scream my embarrassment to the world.

"Say no more" he winked at Percy and he blushed "You can have the seat over there next to Percy"

"Thank you" I said quietly before slipping onto the seat next to Percy.

He began to tell me about the school, funny stuff that had happened here etc. The seats in the room began to fill as more and more students filed in. I got a few dirty looks especially from the cheerleaders and one guy wiggled his eyebrows at me, it was probably supposed to look seductive but it made his ears wiggle comically and I ended up laughing in hysterics into Percy's collar bone.

Mr Branson didn't start to say anything and after ten minutes I realised he wasn't going to. The time passed quickly.

"What have you got before lunch?" Percy asked.

I took out my schedule as people began to leave "French, health and social care and religious studies"

He grunted in annoyance. "I guess I'll meet you in the cafeteria at lunch, I'll walk you to French"

The corridors were almost empty. He stopped outside my French classroom and faced me "Don't you let anyone push you around, okay?" his teeth were gritted.

"What kind of girl do you take me for? I thought you knew me better than that Seaweed brain" he hooked his arm around me and kissed me softly. I put my hands on his chest and after a few seconds I pulled away. "I can't be late for my first ever lesson" I said softly into his ear.

"I love you" He whispered back.

"Love you more" I caressed his cheek and pulled my bag further onto my shoulder, as I made my way through the open door. I could feel his eyes on my back as I walked away. Everyone but the teacher watched my approach. They had probably been watching the scene outside as well.

Just great.

**Please review**

**This is only part one of this chapter and the other half shouldn't take too long, it was going to be just a really long chapter but I split it so I could give you something early. Hope you like it. Wasn't sure what you called your homeroom and homeroom teachers since we call them form rooms and form tutors but apart from that I think I'm adapting well to the USA thing.**

**Mum is mom**

**Sandpit is sandbox**

**Sixth former is high schooler**

**Form room is home room **

**Etc.**

**Etc.**

**PEACE OUT**


	7. Chapter 6 Part 2: First day

**Woo Hoo Its part 2**

**Oh, I'm a poet and I didn't even know it (Sorry that joke's so old I have some mental spring cleaning to do)**

**Anyway sorry about the whole rucksack thing in part 1 that's British for backpack and sorry it took a while I have a controlled assessment for my Citizenship GCSE on Thursday, AAAHHH. **

**By the way is this story TLH never happened but Jason, Piper and Leo do go to camp and Piper got her boy (yes I mean Jason).**

By the time I got to the only empty seat in the room Percy had sprinted of to his class. The whole class followed my every move and it was very unnerving, there was an occasional whisper but apart from that you could have heard a dog bark several blocks away.

The girl I sat down next too had wavy black hair and green eyes. She grinned at me as I sat down. She looked like the kind of girl that was a sort of…. You know someone that hangs around with the popular kids. I looked around and saw that none of Percy's friends were in this class. I knew no one.

I unpacked my books and prepared for a long hour. Turns out that French floats around just as much as English however Selena had tutored me before…you know. The Aphrodite kids find French almost as easy as Greek. With it being the language of love and all that jazz. So anyway Piper took me on after that and I can pass for average in written and reading work now.

Almost everyone had stopped watching me and had gone back to chatting with their friends.

Where was I, oh yes complaining about French. The teacher was still sat at her desk reading something off her computer. The girl sat next to me was trying to be discreet while staring at me.

After a while my neighbour finally spoke "Hi, my name's Ellie Sampson" a hand appeared under my nose. I looked at the owner and took her hand cautiously.

"Annabeth" the three girls in front of us shuffled their chairs closer and leant in so they could listen, one looked like she could be from Californian too with her blonde hair and tan, she had pale blue eyes. The other two were obviously twins; they both had curly sandy-red hair and a barely noticeable splash of freckles across their noses. Their identical, intense brown eyes bored into me.

"I know who you are" Ellie said brightly, all the girls were quiet for a bit and the girls exchanged little glances before she said what I knew she would "So you and Percy Jackson huh"

"I guess" I answered, I didn't really want to talk about the intricacies of my love life with a mortal I'd known less than five minutes.

"Known each other long?" she didn't look at me but started drawing something on her hand with a ballpoint pen. She looked scared of me.

"Since we were twelve" I said being friendly but still trying to give away as little as possible. The girls looked intrigued.

"Wow, where'd you meet? School?" The blonde girl asked her long legs stretched under the chairs of the twins. Ellie stopped doodling on her hand and turned her full attention to me.

"Summer camp" I said, still choosing my choice of words carefully.

"How long have you been dating? Since you met or…" Her brown eyes searched mine; the other girls leaned in even closer.

"No, no only around nine months" I interrupted quickly, hurriedly counting the months from August 18th to May 27th in my head. A small smile played across my lips as I thought of the day he asked me out. That boy is such a seaweed brain; he got all flushed and jumpy.

"Oh, ok" She was quiet but I got a feeling the interrogation wasn't finished. I was right "So where are you from?" she carried on.

"San Francisco" I played with my pen but kept my eyes on Ellie.

"California, well that explains a lot" The twin on the left blurted out. I gave her a questioning look even though I knew she was talking about my appearance, anyway that's totally stereotypical, not all Californian girls are blonde and tanned.

She squirmed a little. "Um…so are you staying long?"

"I don't know" I kept it vague and it was true too, I want to stay longer though. I know every moment with Percy is precious. Gods that sounded cheesy.

"Alright" The French teacher banged on a desk at the front of the class, everybody jumped. The slut of a cheerleader with pancake of make-up plastered on her face, who had been chatting up some jock hopped off of it and sat down in her chair with a soft thump "Today we're going to be focusing on the future and past tenses, please open your books to page 72". The girls sighed and went to open their books

They lesson seemed to last forever, the girls didn't speak again. The lesson was very interesting, though I think if Percy had been with me he would have been asleep by the time we finished analysing paragraph two. When it did finally end I rushed to pack-up.

"Annabeth?" it was the blonde girl who had talked to me at the start of the lesson, now she was stood up I could see how tall and lean she was. It wasn't that she was freakishly tall but a good few inches taller than me.

"Oh hey" I tucked a curl behind my ear.

"I just wanted to…well…to warn you"

"About what?" I gave her a you're weirding me out look. I stopped packing up my bag.

"It's just…Percy…he's very…how do you put it…popular, with a lot of girls and you seem nice so I just wanted you to know that you might have to keep a lookout" She looked worried at how I would react to the news. I was flattered that she had cared enough to warn me.

"Don't worry, I'm nobody's fool. Thank you…um…I don't…?" I realised I didn't know her name but she caught my drift.

"Sky, my name's Sky Flockton, well actually Skyler Abbigail Erin Flockton, but..." I could almost hear the click in my head as I fit the pieces together.

"OH," I said loudly, she frowned at me "you're Joey's girlfriend." I stuffed the last of my books in my bag.

"Yep," she smiled hauling her own bag onto her shoulder "How do you know Joey?"

"Just through Percy, I only met him last Friday" we walked out of the classroom together "Percy mentioned that Joey had a girlfriend called Sky and it's not a very common name" I added.

"Oh of course, they're best mates" she chuckled, she then gestured to the twins behind us who were deep in conversation with Ellie "these two are Evie and Catlin" they heard there names looked up and gave me mischievous grins. I do believe I just met the female equivalents of Conner and Travis.

I spent the next two lessons getting to know the four girls. Ellie's the genius and a bit of a nerd at times, her favourite colour is yellow. The twins like practical jokes and shiny objects. Catlin is going out with Hadrian, a boy at a nearby private school. Sky is a long-distance runner and her favourite animal is a sloth. That's a bit controversial, Sloths being one of the laziest creatures on earth. When I pointed this out they just laughed.

"Sorry we interrogated you earlier" Ellie apologised as we all walked to lunch.

"Don't worry, I'm glad you did. Otherwise I probably wouldn't have spoken to any of you and this morning might have been really lonely" I reassured her.

I spotted Karter, Joey, Robbie and Courtney at a table with some other boys and girls but Percy wasn't with them.

"Guess who?" His hands slid over my eyes.

"Fallen asleep in any lessons yet this morning Seaweed brain?" His hands dropped by his sides as I turned to look him in the eyes. He gave me a proud look.

"Beat my record actually wise girl, ten minutes of peaceful napping before Eduardo woke me up" he pointed annoyed to a Spanish looking junior that was messing around with Karter and another dark haired boy.

I rolled my eyes "Come on barnacle boy, let's get some food" I tugged him away from Ellie, Sky and the twins who were watching amused at Percy's antics.

Seaweed brain took forever deciding what to get before picking the spaghetti. He probably was just trying to get on my nerves. My…, well I guess I can call them friends can't I, were sat with Percy's friends at a table in the middle of the room. A group of cheerleaders watched as Percy took my hand and led me toward the table, and I swear if looks could kill. I would be dead.

They all gave us looks as we sat down; it took all my willpower to not blush. Joey held Sky's hand on the table top.

"You two have known each other since you were twelve huh?" Karter broke the ice.

"Yep, she hated me." Percy said shrugging, I elbowed him in the ribs "What? It's true" we had everyone's attention now.

"Why?" Evie asked.

"He was annoying, stupid and impulsive with no respect for planning" I said crossing my arms and glaring at Percy.

"She was a stuck-up know-it-all who seriously needed to get her priorities straight" he laughed and stroked the place where my eyebrows were scrunched together.

"How on earth did you end up together then?" Sky put her elbows on the table and sat her chin in her hands. All the girls followed her lead and leaned in closer.

"We sort of got…forced together and we began to…" I didn't know what else to say so Percy ended the sentence.

"grow to love those things we hated about each other, they're what make us…well…fit" he put his arm around me and pulled me closer "Whenever I did something stupid Annabeth was always there to get me out of it and when she didn't know where to turn I was there for her, I'm the one thing in her life that's permanent" he said it like he really meant it, my heart leapt at his words. All the girls, and Karter ahhed at us. Karter's laugh lifted my spirits like nothing else.

"Ahh…that is so sappy" Joey ruined the moment, and his girlfriend to give him a quick whap round the head for it.

"Thing is her mother hates my guts" Percy gave the ceiling a quick glance as he said it.

"What did you do?" Karter said to Percy accusingly. Just his voice made me happy. What is it with this kid and why is it everyone is so damn joyful when he's around?

"He was born" I laughed. Everyone looked confused "Let's just say Percy's dad wasn't meant to have a baby with Sally Jackson"

"So Percy was an accident. What does that have to do with your mum?" Robbie ran his hand nervously through his hair as Percy gave him evils.

"My dad has been rivals with her mum since forever; any son of my dad is an automatic enemy and an idiot in Annabeth's mum's eyes" Percy answered Robbie's question.

"Why?" Courtney asked.

"That is a very, very, very long story" I concluded

Please review they prove people are actually reading this.

**How was it? Sorry if you waited ages and you found this rubbish. Constructive criticism is accepted. So Joey's girlfriend is friends with Annabeth but why does Annabeth always feel extra happy around Karter. Don't worry she doesn't love him.**


	8. Chapter 7: Euphrosyne?

**127 reviews in six chapters! I LOVE you guys**

**I love writing this story so much I just couldn't stop after the last chapter I really want to get the Karter secret out since I've been making hints about him making everyone around him happy. Also there might be some familiar faces and unplanned romances to come in later chapters.**

**Sorry if some British words (mum) popped up last chapter I guess I didn't proof read it as well as I could have done. They just sort of just come out. By the way SKY saying MATE was not an accident, I repeat NOT AN ACCIDENT it was planned *mischievous wink***

**Don't you just love demigod high school drama!**

Percy's POV (I just realised I didn't do this last chapter for Annabeth…Woops)

"So wise girl, did you have a good first day?" I asked her cheerfully as I turned the lock.

"I made good friends, all five of the teachers I had today were impressed and I got to spend the afternoon with my boyfriend, in short it has been one of the most productive days I've had all year" a gentle smile broke through her lips. I love her smile.

My mother's voice filtered through into my thoughts "Percy Annabeth, so how was your first day?" my mom emerged with an empty mug and slippers on her feet from the study.

"Really good actually" Annabeth said, I smiled and took her hand.

"Well that's great, sorry but I have to get back to work, you two do your homework or watch TV or something" My mum said, she's finally writing the book she always wanted too, she won't let anyone see it yet but I guessed her password and had a quick read. It's really good. I got so into it she almost caught me.

"Yer ok, I only got one…aaahhh….oh gods you scared me Nico, you've got to stop doing that" I jumped as I saw a figure slip from the shadows; he'd started doing this a lot lately. He was mostly just after the free food he got here I think "Couldn't you just knock on the door like a normal person?"

"I'm not a normal person" he answered me like he was explaining something to a kindergartener.

"Nico, what are you doing here?" Annabeth crossed her arms and leant against the yellow wall of our hallway frowning.

"Dinner…oh and to check up on you guys" Yep I was right; he was here for the food. Annabeth relaxed and I realised she had thought we were going to have to go on some mission or something.

The last half of Nico's sentence sunk in but Annabeth being Annabeth got there first "Wait, check up on us, why?" we exchanged a quick glance but I was as confused as she was.

"Chiron asked me to check up on you two" Nico shrugged.

"Why?" we asked in unison.

"Don't know, ask him, he wouldn't tell me" Anger washed over Nico's face. I didn't want skeletons ripping up my mom's carpet. Annabeth saw this too and distracted him. Clever girl.

"Why don't you get a snack you look hungry" her eyes looked up and down the gangly teenager.

"Ok" Nico scampered off toward the kitchen in search of food.

I called to my mom through the wood of the study door "Hey mom Nico's here"

"Is he staying over?"

"Don't know. I'll tell you when I find out" I followed Annabeth into the kitchen. Nico had a huge bowl of cereal and was talking with his mouth full. Who eats cereal at four in the afternoon? He knows his way round our kitchen as well as any of us do now.

I heard the end of their conversation "Oh you know, found some records on her, where she went to school etc." Nico was obviously talking about his mom; he was still trying to find out all he could about her. Hades had given up on hiding from the truth and had told him some small details about her.

"That's great" Annabeth was sat across from him and I plonked down next to her. I put my feet on the table. I heard the sound of my mom coming towards down the hallway and quickly swung my feet down just in time. Or so I thought.

"Nico darling are you staying the night? Because we'll have to make a bed on the couch if you are" My mom leaned round the doorframe.

"That couch is actually really comfortable you know" I interjected, giving Nico a smile.

"Yer I think I will be, sorry it's late notice Mrs Blofis"

"Call me Sally Nico, and don't worry it's not a problem" she then turned to look at me, she laughed "It's good you think the couch is so comfortable Percy because I didn't say it would be Nico sleeping on the couch, Nico's having your bed tonight"

I turned on Nico "Great, you've taken my bed Nico. It'll be my clothes she wants to give you next" I huffed and Annabeth and Nico laughed.

"Oh Percy that's a good idea, Nico's clothes are looking a little small on him" Mom smiled at Nico "You can have a pair or two of Percy's" she looked at me firmly "If I ever catch you with your feet on that new table top again I won't just be giving Nico your clothes. I will give Nico your entire life savings, people have to eat off there Percy and who knows were your feet have been"

She stormed off in the direction of the study and I shouted after her "I do"

"So where's Paul" Nico finished the last of his cereal. That boy can eat fast.

"School, he usually leaves half an hour to an hour after I do" I took my shoes off and put my feet back on the table, they were soon smacked off again by Annabeth.

"How's the son of Euphrosyne?" Nico pronounced it f-oh-zin.

"I knew it" Annabeth cried out standing up "It all makes sense, he's happy all the time, he makes everyone else feel happy that's because his mom's the goddess of joy, he's only the son of a minor goddess so he probably only spent a few weeks at camp when he was younger and never came back. I was starting to wonder if he was a monster… I should have known" her teeth were gritted.

"You didn't know?" I was confused.

"Well Seaweed brain no one ever told me" Her hands went to her hips and I rubbed the back of my neck nervously. She gets the most angry when I question her knowledge.

"To answer your question Nico he's doing fine, no monsters so far" I decided to leave Annabeth to cool down "and dude you might want to go have a shower cause you stink of underworld" Nico gave me a death stare. Ha ha death stare, I crack myself up.

**Well done if you were one of the clever people that noticed what Percy said about hanging out with Karter giving him a "high like nothing else" in chapter 2. **

**Karter in a Half-blood!**

Still Percy's POV

We were sat opposite each other on the couch leaning against the armrests and doing homework, well I was. Annabeth had finished ages ago and was helping me. Nico was slumped in a nearby dusty-red armchair reading "Improving your memories for dummies" I didn't think that a mortal book was going to reverse the effects of the Lethe but Nico was willing to try anything.

"So give me the definition of culture" Annabeth prompted me. I shrugged "I just told you it seaweed brain" she whined.

I struggled to remember "The totality of….of…socially transmitted behaviour patterns, arts, beliefs, institutions, and all….um…um … other products of human work and thought?" I stuttered unsurely.

"You finally got it" she gave me a friendly punch in the shoulder and looked at the workbook in her lap "Great that was the last one you're free" I leant forward and kissed her softly intertwining my fingers in her hair.

I ignored it when Nico went "eww" in the background but then the phone went off.

I jumped up to go get it "Percy could you…" mom shouted from the study.

"Already on it" I interrupted her.

The phone buzzed as I picked it up of the coffee table "Hey" I said into it.

"Hey Jackson, All us are going to hang out round Sky's on Saturday at one, are you and Annabeth in" Joeys voice crackled slightly from the bad connection.

"Wait I'll just ask" I told him "Annabeth?" I put the phone to my shoulder as she looked up from her book.

"Yes"

"Everyone's meeting at Sky's at the weekend, you're free right?"

"Yep, I don't have to visit the empire state building for another two weeks" she smiled and nodded.

I held the phone to my ear again "Ok Joe we'll be there"

"Cool, I'll see you guys tomorrow" I put the phone down.

"Well that should be nice" Annabeth said cheerfully, not looking up.

"Guys I remember what else Chiron told me" Nico snapped his book shut suddenly making us jump his eyes were wide "The Stolls are coming to Goode" he laughed at our shocked expressions.

Review please; they make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside!

**Things I will not do/put in my story:**

**Break up Percabeth**

**Break up Traite**

**Kill off characters unless totally vital and certainly not any of Rick's characters (Percy, Annabeth, Nico, Sally, Paul etc…)**

**Pregnant teens.**

**Any other things not considered suitable for kids under sixteen.**

**Bad language (at least not swear words)**

**Karter is a minor demi-god and the Stoll brothers are coming, what will happen at Sky's house?**


	9. Where did Karter come from?

**I know some of you are hammering for more info on Karter so here you go:**

This is just some information about Karter's mum. Euphrosyne goddess of joy, one of the three charities/graces who were called upon to bring the world happiness, beauty and splendour. Handmaiden of Aphrodite and daughter of Zeus and the Oceanid Eurynome. Her sisters are Thalia (the original one) and Aglaea.

Karter's background:

Karter arrived at camp (the summer after Percy did) aged twelve, he was claimed by his mom but hated being crammed in the Hermes cabin. He wasn't considered very powerful or important and was mostly ignored, plus he had no siblings at camp. He begged Chiron to let him live in the mortal world. Chiron agreed and gave him a week or two of intense training and a celestial bronze sword before letting him leave to live with his dad (a retired kid's party entertainer). Karter has only been attacked three times in his life and never felt the need to return to camp half-blood; its home for many campers, such as Annabeth, but Karter never felt that way. Let's just be glad and respectful of the fact he didn't join Kronos like many other minor gods children did. I suppose he's just too happy for war.

**Ask if you have any more questions on him :)**


	10. Chapter 8: Hide the shaving foam!

**God I just keep spitting these chapters out, last chapter wasn't that good because:**

**1) I was really tired **

**2) I could hardly think of where it was going (Nico turned up out of the blue) **

**3) I just needed to get the Karter secret out there before the Saturday meet up chapter.**

**I love making lists. Sorry…I'm such a Geek, not.**

**So are you ready to re-meet the Stoll bros :)**

Percy's POV

**Oh yes almost forgot…you know who owns PJO right…SO WHY AM I WASTING PRECIOUS TIME WRITING THIS!**

"When did you say they were getting here?" I said to Annabeth. I held my hand up to block out the bright summer sun. We were stood outside Grand central station waiting for the two little balls of disaster that were the Stoll brothers.

She looked at the huge clock on the wall "around 10 minutes ago" she chewed her lip "Why do you think Chiron sent them here?"

"Probably to teach them a lesson" I smiled and put my arm around her "He's probably hoping that a few months of schooling with get to them. I thought Chiron knew them better than that though. Does he realise what he just released on the poor, unsuspecting people of Manhattan" I sniggered running my hand through my hair.

"No, Chiron is too smart for that, or at least I thought he was" Annabeth's eyebrows knitted together and she chewed her bottom lip in frustration.

"Maybe he's getting old" I shrugged.

Annabeth sent me a look that said _you idiot _and shook her head "He's been alive over two thousand years and you think he's suddenly getting old now" her eyebrows shot up.

I frowned and held my held high "It could happen" Annabeth shook her head and let it go.

"Well Nico sure cleared off quick" She stated folding her arms.

"Just you wait; he'll be back within the month. He may be the lord of the dead but he sure likes it when my mom fusses over him" We both laughed.

"I can't believe he ate two whole boxes of cereal in two days" She looked at me with disbelieving and slightly amazed look on her perfect face.

"You better believe it; because I watched it slowly disappear" I dropped my arm from around her and leant against the pillar behind me crossing my arms "You'd think he'd be sick of it by now with Demeter feeding it to him all the time, but if anything it's got him addicted." I emphasised "addicted" a lot and she flung her head back and laughed. Did I mention how much I love her laugh?

I suddenly could not resist her anymore and I did the obvious thing. I grabbed her and pulled her to me, her heart beated in sync with mine. I kissed her softly but it wasn't enough and it became more hungry and passionate. She weakened in my arms and I slipped my hand under her shirt slightly, her back was like velvet, it trembled as I pulled her as close as I could. I felt my insides turn to goo. Her slender fingers were wrapped tightly in my dark hair. I can't believe it took me four years to finally ask her out. It was like the world was deep in a Morpheus induced sleep. The background noise was like the sound of a ticking clock. My brain just didn't register it. Our tongues curled around each other and I was just about to slip my hand further up her back when…

"EWWW, GUYS, GET…A…ROOM" A shout echoed out from my right. Mortals turned to stare and I pulled away from Annabeth. The Stolls had arrived; hide all the shaving foam.

"Hey dudes, what's up?" I fist bumped both of them embarrassed but elated. They were wearing their camp half-blood shirts and necklaces with faded jeans and converses. Both boys were scruffy-looking but Travis looked a little tidier and more dignified than Conner. _Katie's got to him_ I thought.

"Hey" Annabeth slipped the dollars that had been in her jacket pocket discreetly into my hand before she pulled them both into a bear hug "Nico told us almost nothing, what happened?"

Travis let Annabeth go, he had a disappointed look on his mischievous face, he had found nothing in Annabeth's pockets, disappointment turned to confusion and he itched his head "Chiron sent us out here without any info, it was freakin…"

"…weird" Conner continued the sentence "he just told us we were leaving for Manhattan and to go pack! I think he's getting old" He shrugged.

I grinned at him and flung my arms out "That's what I said" I reeled him in for a slap-on-the-back hug Annabeth rolled her eyes and muttered something under her breath that I didn't catch. She saw me watching her and gave me an innocent smile. I narrowed my eyes and we locked gazes neither of us wanting to give in.

Travis interpreted our silent exchange as flirting and waved a hand between us "Sorry to interrupt a heartfelt moment but can we go to Eddie's place now?" Eddie Balestone was the twenty-nine year old son of Hermes that had been counsellor before Luke. He had agreed to take in the Stolls as a favour to his dad. Favour meaning he was getting paid.

"Yer, sure, put your bags in the boot and jump in" I gestured to Paul's Prius which I had borrowed for the day. Travis and Conner elaborated on the event's that lead to their exile as I worked my way through the jam-packed streets of NY.

"So you didn't pull some over the top, stupid prank?" Annabeth asked, squinting in disbelief.

"Nope" Conner popped the p.

Travis shook his head his bottom lip stuck out "Not for at least a week" He said shamefully

"Yer, Travis is no fun anymore" Conner pouted leaning back arms folded.

"I'm still fun" Travis said angry and shocked. He glared at his brother.

"No you're not, you've lost your touch" Conner got right in Travis's face arms crossed.

"No I have not, take it back" Travis shoved Conner. I could almost see the steam coming out of Travis's nose in the mirror. The phrase "If looks could kill" ran through my head.

Annabeth watched the boys her eyes wide "Guys, Percy is trying to drive, maybe this isn't the place to…"

Conner cut her off "Yer you have, you hardly ever come up with good ideas anymore, and you're always off with _Katie_" He stuck his pointing finger into Travis's chest.

"So basically you're jealous" Travis growled daring him to deny it.

"Of Katie, pfft, no way" Conner huffed.

"I was talking about the fact I can actually get a girl" Travis hissed back. The silence that followed was deafening.

I didn't help the matter much when I absentmindedly went "Ouch, BURN" and chuckled. Annabeth gave me a murderous glare and I probably would have got a punch too if I hadn't been driving.

"I can, I just haven't found the right girl yet" Connor said softly but meaningfully. His face was scrunched up very unattractively, a dangerous gleam came to his eyes "And I won't wait years to finally ask her out" his teeth were gritted. That hurt me. I learnt later that that was a dig at Travis but I applied to me too. He looked at me "No offence meant Perce" Connor held up his hands apologetically. He had thought of that too.

"None taken" I jerked my head to acknowledge him pulling in outside a set of high rise apartments.

Review they're (better than biccies) and tell me what you like and what you didn't. What ideas do you have for this story?

**Sorry it's not that long.**

**Someone requested a make-out scene between Annabeth and Percy. It was my first so don't be too harsh. **

**The stolls are here **

**The stolls are here**

**Gonna do them all**

**Gonna wake-up this neighbourhood**

**Why am I singing this I hate HSM. My OLDER sister hauled me along to the pictures so that she didn't look like a weirdo seventeen year old watching a kids film alone. Why hide it she is weird.**

**Sophie-lydia Arabella Crust signing out ;)**


	11. Chapter 9: Connor's pickup lines

**Sorry it's been a while, I'm not gonna come up with a bunch of lame excuses but I hope you'll forgive me. Hope you like the chapter ; D**

**No I don't own most of these charecters…blah…blah…blah**

Percy's POV

Travis and Annabeth both had Biology first period so I of course was stuck with Connor, oh joy. He leant against the wall as I unloaded my Geography books into my locker ready for fourth period.

Remember the heart to heart conversation the Stolls had yesterday, thought you might, Connor is now fixated on showing Travis that he can get a girl. Whether he actually can or not is a totally different matter. I've heard girls say the Stolls are pretty good-looking though honestly I don't think he's really my type. The thing is Connor is …well… I'm just glad I'm not the person he's trying out his pick-up lines on.

A petite, blonde girl was unlucky enough to cross his path earlier and I bet you could never guess what he said, he said "Sweetie, if you were a booger I'd pick you first" he gave the stunned sophomore a sleazy smile and she backed off like he was from another world (I suppose he sort of is) You think that pick-up line was bad you should of hear some of his other ones. At first I thought he just did it for a laugh but now I'm not so sure.

That was when Annabeth's friends Ellie and the twins also known as Evie and Catlin Elgar stopped a few lockers down. The mischievous glint in Connor's eye grew brighter for a second as he looked the one I guessed was Evie up and down (In my defence they are identical twins).

I realised in horror what he was going to attempt. I tried to pull him back via his t-shirt but the slippery son of Hermes wriggled his way out of my grasp. Trying out pick-up lines on random girls is one thing but on girls I know. That's a totally different matter. I suppose he didn't know that I knew them though. I debated attempting to stop him right away or letting him make a fool of himself first. I decided to be a good friend and him learn from experience.

He sauntered up to them and gave a loud cough, they gave him a quick once over and didn't seem to know who he was yet "I'm sorry but have we met" Catlin asked taking a small step back.

"Nope" Connor said. He took a small step closer to Evie and grinned "Could I borrow your phone number I seem to have lost mine" his light blue eyes shined at her through his eyelashes, his curly chestnut brown hair fell in front of his face, and to my great surprise Evie blushed. Catlin however was also red in the face but for a totally different reason. I joined her and Ellie, bursting into fits of laughter. Evie stuttered as I dragged a disheartened Connor off to class. I took a last glance of Catlin teasing her twin as I lead Connor round the corner, laughter still racking my body. Luckily I don't think they recognised me.

**Lunchtime**

Our Math teacher let us out early so it was just me, Robbie and Joey at our table. I Can't wait for seventh period, both Annabeth and I chose Ancient Greek as an elective(that's going to be interesting) then for eighth period she's got graphic design and I've got basketball. On Friday we have joint physical education but not today. This morning was boring, I only had English with Annabeth and we both have dyslexia so you can guess how that went.

Only Robbie and Joey know I have dyslexia and ADHD and we don't talk about it much. I made it very clear that they could not tell Karter.

None of them know Annabeth has it too. She's very good at buying more time when she's trying to read something or she'll just put on a calm and confident expression and pretend she's analysing it, which she'll do with something she can read anyway. So it's hard to tell when she can and can't read something.

I figured if I told Karter I had ADHA and dyslexia he would work out who I was. He only spent a couple of weeks at camp while Annabeth, Tyson and I were looking for a certain goat man in a wedding dress but he must have heard my name mentioned (probably not for a good reason) and I don't want to jog that memory. Well I do but Chiron doesn't want me too.

Chiron doesn't want Karter knowing I'm a half-blood, Zeus knows why! Why would he send the Stolls, what if Karter recognises them? Karter hasn't technically ever met Chiron either. He's only ever had Iris-message conversations with him since he came the summer that Chiron was suspended for supposedly poisoning Thalia's tree, no wonder Karter didn't stick around long if he came the summer Tantalus was in power.

Joey bounced a basketball with one hand and used the other to prop up his head up as he hummed "wake me up before you go-go" by WHAM which I personally think if the definition of a cheesy song. Our lunches lay forgotten in front of us. I just wasn't that I wasn't hungry. I started to doodle a few hippocampi my schedule when Joey shouted out, my pen slipped and drew a line right through Thursday. Dam it.

Sky gave back Joey's basketball smiling and sat down next to him. The girls had arrived. He untangle the chair leg so she could sit next to him.

"Hey Seaweed brain" Annabeth hugged me from behind to let me know she was there before pulling out the seat next to me. Evie looked like she had gotten over this morning's shock and was sat next to Ellie chatting with her sister.

"Hey wise girl, miss me?"

She rolled her eyes and smiled as she slid in next to me "I saw you less than two hours ago Percy"

I licked my lips "And your point is?" she smiled cupping my chin; she pulled me in for a soft kiss. I placed my hands on her waist. After a few seconds we pulled apart eyes closed. When we opened them our faces were still centimetres apart.

"You're better at that now" her hand slid round to the back of my neck.

I frowned "What? Kissing"

"Yes"

"Am I a good kisser?" I wiggled my eyebrows.

"I think so, but how would I know?" she laughed "I have nothing to compare you too, you're the only guy I've ever kissed"

"Oh…Yer, of course" I drew away smiling, I decided that I didn't want to carry on that conversation in case the Rachel kissing me thing came up again. I'd just struck up a conversation with Robbie about basketball when two voices from behind made me jump.

"Hey Perce" Travis and Connor chorused as they took the two seats to my right. They looked like they'd settled their differences or just forgotten completely yesterday's argument.

"Hey, welcome to Goode. You look a lot like two guys I used to hang out with?" Karter watched the Stolls with a big smile.

Annabeth nudged me in the ribs and I stood up "Oh right, of course" my friends all turned their attention to me "Ok people, this is Travis and this is Connor" I pointed to each in turn, Evie had spotted Connor and she was biting her lip "They're old friends of Annabeth and I" I sat down and then shot back up "Oh and keep a close watch on anything valuable when their around, their slippery as eels" Travis and Connor's expressions of amusement were identical.

"Oh my gods, it is you two" Karter grinned and seemed to glow "Do you remember me? Karter Asher. I was in your cabin"

"Wow. Yer course we do" Travis said. Both brothers nodded enthusiastically "Been a long time huh?"

"Sure has"

"Wait…you…them…" I voiced everyone's thoughts. They ignored me and carried on with their reunion.

Connor laughed "Ha, do you remember the trick we played on Cabin four "(That's the Demeter cabin to all you non-camper types who are reading this)

"Sure do, Katie's face was hilarious, and how could I ever forget Clarisse's face when she figured out where we got all the lemonade from" The boys high-fived each other and chuckled.

"Believe it or not but Katie and Travis are kind of an item now" Connor punched Travis in the shoulder and he blushed.

"Ha, I can imagine, bet she's always telling you off for something" Robbie sneaked a few of Karter's fries and Courtney scolded him.

Travis cleared his throat "No comment" we all laughed at that and Robbie looked empathetic, he knew exactly what it was like to be constantly bossed around by your girlfriend.

**Ancient Greek**

I was confident this was going to be a good lesson for three reasons. One: I get to sit next to Annabeth. Two: I already know Ancient Greek. Three: Mr Milton thinks I'm the god's gift to mankind.

I had to ask Marley the girl who sits next to me normally to move so Annabeth could sit next to me. She wasn't that happy about it but she moved. Annabeth was amazing, which was to be expected since they thought I was so good they should give the girl who taught me a little more credit. I'm a hard student to keep interested as well.

"Turn to Homer's Odyssey book three. Who can translate?" He chuckled as he looked around the room only Annabeth's and my hand was up "Anyone other than Mr and Mrs Ancient Greek at the front here" He gestured to me and Annabeth "No? Ok then, Percy, Annabeth first paragraph, a line each if you please"

"But as the sun was rising from the fair sea into the firmament of heaven to shed light on mortals and immortals, they reached Pylos the city of Neleus" I smiled as she read it not faltering once.

"Now the people of Pylos were gathered on the sea shore to offer sacrifice of black bulls to Poseidon lord of the Earthquake" I read just as smoothly exchanging a little smile with Annabeth as I read out my father's name.

"There were nine guilds with five hundred men in each, and there were nine bulls to each guild" Annabeth read. Mr Milton was nodding approvingly.

"As they were eating the inward meats and burning the thigh bones in the name of Poseidon, Telemachus and his crew arrived, furled their sails, brought their ship to anchor, and went ashore" This time as I said dads name I didn't look at Annabeth but just smiled to myself.

"Athena led the way and Telemachus followed her" Annabeth and I looked up as she finished the paragraph.

"Very, very nice" Mr Milton looked between us as if trying to figure us out "Next paragraph, someone else please"

The whole lesson was a breeze. By the end the whole class was stunned. They had thought I was of Greek descent and that's how I knew it all but now they know my girlfriend's brilliant at it to. It must have confused them.

"Yo! Percy" Travis came running up to me "Connor and me are going to hang out with Karter after school if you two want to come, no mortals allowed, sound cool?"

Annabeth and I looked at each other. I nodded at her and she turned to Travis "Ok but no practical jokes"

He was all smiles "Let's go then" I slipped my hand into Annabeth's and we followed Travis through the crowd to Karter and Connor.

"Oh" Karter looked surprised to see us "I thought you said Percy and Annabeth weren't coming"

Connor and Travis shook their heads "We never said that" Connor said. I stole a glance at Annabeth, her eyebrows were furrowed and she was chewing her bottom lip. I quickly texted my mom to tell her what was going on.

**Annabeth's POV**

Think Annabeth, what are you missing? I could taste a little blood so I stopped gnawing my lip. I let Percy lead me down the street as I thought. It's so annoying when you're so close to understanding something but you just can't quite get it.

I sighed and walked faster so I was in stride with Percy, I should just leave it and let it come to me. What always worries me is that I won't put the pieces together until after I need them; when it's too late.

"Where're we going?" Percy asked Karter, who was leading us deeper and deeper into New York.

"My uncle owns this great little Spanish place not far from where you two live" he told me and Percy as we crossed a road "I swear he does the best seafood Paella you will ever taste" he winked at Percy, he must know seafood is Percy's favourite. After we had turned a few corners we stopped outside a small, restaurant that had RAIMUNDO'S RESTAURANTE emblazoned in deep red above it.

**Review and say what you think. I think this is my longest chapter so far. YAY**


	12. Chapter 10: His name's Karter

**Sorry it's been a while; let's just say I'm not really very good with electronic things. The first draft of this story was nearly ready, and then I did some moving around of files and ended up deleting it. You should have heard me screeching when I figured out what I'd done. My brother came thundering up the stairs think I'd hurt myself!**

**Spanish translations at the bottom.**

**Annabeth's POV **

"This way ladies and gentlemen" Karter gestured toward the restaurant. We followed Karter through the wooden, double doors.

"Technically its lady and gentlemen actually" Connor remarked before laughing to himself "Oh, sorry I forgot about Percy" Karter and the Stolls burst into giggles.

Percy tensed, ready to shove his fist down their throats for questioning his manhood when I smirked and interrupted "Oh Percy's defiantly a boy, trust me, I'd know" That shut them up. I winked at a blushing Percy and whispered to him "Athena always has a plan, remember" before walking off to check-out an interesting painting I'd spotted when we walked in.

Percy followed me "nice work, you owned them, but you do know that Connor and Travis will tell everyone at camp about that"

"And you think they'll believe them?" I crossed my arms "They're the Stoll Brothers, they're always pulling everyone's leg. Like the boy who cried wolf" I ventured.

Percy gave me a vacant look "Who?"

"It's a fable Percy, you must have heard of it; a shepherd boy is bored with looking after the sheep and so cries out to the villagers that a wolf is on the hill. Of course when the villagers get to the hill with their pitchforks they're very miffed off at him because there is no wolf. A little while later the boy is bored again and so he does it again, of course the villagers are once again upset with him. But one night the boy is on the hill and a wolf really does attack the sheep, he cries out "wolf", but the villagers ignore him and all the sheep are killed" Percy's intrigued expression was priceless. "What's the moral of the story?" I asked.

"Um, if you lie a lot then people won't believe you when you're telling the truth?" he answered unsurely.

"Which is exactly the hole that Travis and Connor have dug themselves into" I smirked.

Percy looked at me in awe "You're really observant"

"Thank you"

"It's kind of hot" I blushed beetroot red, he gave me a crooked smile and leant in to kiss me.

I made to meet him half-way. "HOLA" I jumped a little and banged heads with Percy as a round, oily, Spanish man in a stained, red and blue apron on, emerged through a curtain and gathered Karter into a meaty embrace. A middle-aged olive skinned woman and a girl with the same colouring, who was about my age, maybe a year or two younger also emerged from behind a bead curtain. The girl's eyebrows arched and her lips curved slightly when she saw us but she said nothing.

"Uncle Raimundo, it's been a while" Karter emerged from folds of his large uncle's body. He looked the woman and the girl up and down frowning, he didn't know them either?

"Yes, yes. These are your friends? Introduce them!" Raimundo said enthusiastically, with a strong Spanish accent.

"Well that's Percy Jackson" Karter pointed at Percy, Percy gave them a small wave "and that's his girlfriend Annabeth Chase" Percy took that as his cue to put his arm round me and kiss my head; I sent them a small smile. "This is Connor Stoll and his older brother Travis Stoll" Connor scowled when Karter mentioned Travis is older, a year older actually. Hardly anyone at camp thinks about it much, but in reality Connor is only a sophomore like Karter, whereas Travis is a junior like me.

Raimundo grinned "Nice meeting you" he turned back to Karter "You need a table?"

"Yes thanks, but first…" he looked behind his uncle "…I'm sorry I don't believe we've met" he held out to the woman. Wow, Karter's a real gentleman.

So of course it surprised me when she crossed her arms refusing to shake his hand "Well that is a weird way to greet the woman who raised you" she smiled at him.

Karter traced the lines of her face with his gaze and grinned "Clarisa, you look so…different" he hugged her.

"You can say old if you like, it has been six years" she chuckled. I'm starting to realise there's a lot of past to Karter "What about you. You're not a dirty, hyperactive, seven year-old now. You're practically a 'hombre'" she studied Karter as her face soften as if she was still seeing him as he was before she left.

"But if you're here, that means…" he looked at the pretty, smiling girl behind Clarisa "Lucena" he said softly in a Spanish accent.

She smiled "since when did you use my full name Orion?" her accent was less prominent than Clarisa's. Karter enveloped Lucena in a hug.

"His name's Karter sweetheart" Travis chuckled as they pulled apart. Lucena looked confused.

Karter saw this "I use my middle name now because Orion was kind of embarrassing" he told her.

"Your real name is Orion, as in the Greek hero Orion?" Karter tensed when I said 'Greek hero' and I realised why. Karter doesn't know Percy and I are half-bloods yet. Why didn't my seaweed brain of a boyfriend tell me that? That's why Karter didn't think we were coming to his uncles as well. Because Travis said 'no mortals allowed' and Karter thinks we're mortals so that must have been what confused him. That's what I've been missing. I'm going to get Percy back for keeping me and the stolls in the dark. That could have ruined the whole mission!

"My name's Perseus and I haven't changed my name" Percy said.

"Yes, but you can shorten your name to Percy. What would I shorten it to? Ori, no of course not, that just sounds weird" Karter argued. We all nodded

Karter suddenly looked pained "Why'd you come back from Spain Lucy?" Karter asked Lucena "For six years, nothing and now, suddenly you're back"

"I missed America" she said shortly.

"And me?" Karter (…or should I say Orion…no let's just stick with Karter) smiled crookedly and stared at his feet, wringing his hands.

Lucy blushed and almost seemed to glow "Of course 'mi león'" I don't speak Spanish but I guessed that must be some sort of endearment, she kissed his cheek, and Karter blushed. Percy and I shared a knowing look.

Review and say what you thought was good…or bad!

**Sorry it's not that long but the next chapter is very important.**

**Spanish**

**HOLA-Hello**

**Hombre-man**

**Mi león'-my lion**

**See you guys next time…well I won't see you but…oh I give up! You know what I mean.**


	13. Chapter 11: Paella and awkward moments

**Sorry about the long wait. I've been being a bit lazy recently. My time was taken up by important work such as watching Bollywood movies, going to London with my friends and reading the new Michael Grant book FEAR. And school obviously.**

Percy's POV

"So, you ready to order?" Karter grinned making me feel like singing…in the rain. Stupid son of Euphrosyne.

I leant across the table to Karter and said in a carrying whisper "Would you care to explain what just happened?" Karter's face fell.

"Yes. That would be good." Connor crossed his arms.

"Calm down. I would have told you about them, but it never came up. I don't see why it's important anyway." Karter held up his hands to defend himself.

"Not important." Travis spluttered.

"Would have been nice to know you had a girlfriend that lives in Spain." I emphasised 'Spain'. I felt Annabeth's hand on my shoulder, soothing me. I relaxed back into my seat slightly. She removed her hand but it felt like it was still there.

Karter blushed so much I thought he was going to blow up "She's…we're…I guess you could say…well ugh." He slumped down and slammed his head on the table with an echoing thud "It's complicated." came a muffled conclusion.

"We'll try to keep up." I pushed "And if I don't understand Annabeth will explain it to me later." I gestured toward my frowning girlfriend. Who of course rolled her eyes.

Karter regarded us for a second before sighing and sitting up again "Well, me and Lucena grew up together. It was right above this restaurant in fact, in the flat upstairs." He pointed toward the ceiling "Lucy and her mom lived here basically all of Lucy's life. Clarisa is my second cousin, my uncle and dad's cousin. Lucy's mom was Clarisa's best friend. Though legally now Lucy is her daughter." Karter took a deep breath.

"You see Lucy's an orphan in a way. Lucy's mom's boyfriend left when Lucy was a few days old." Karter looked awkward.

"That's was horrible of him. There's no real explanation for a parent to leave their child unless they're forced to." Annabeth said shocked.

"No, you've got the wrong end of the stick. He was African you see, and Lucy's Spanish-American."

"Oh." we all sighed in unison.

"Lucy isn't his, if anything Lucy's lighter skinned than her mom was. Lucy's mom's boyfriend said he'd noticed her sneaking off just before she got pregnant, and that he had ignored that in case the baby really was his. He said he had ordered a DNA test to test out his theory, but just seeing the baby had confirmed his suspicions. Lucy's mom agreed that Lucy wasn't his but someone she had met on holiday to her uncle's place. In Lucena, Brazil. That lived here in Manhattan."

"Ah, so that's why she called her…I see." Annabeth nodded.

Karter continued "Lucy's mom was in the armed forces. She wasn't even a soldier she was a military doctor. I don't want to go into details, but her mom working in the Middle East when Lucy and I were about six years old." We leaned in so we could hear better "Lucy's mom and her team were out treating minor wounds in the streets and a car bomb went off. Lucy's mom died three days later in a private hospital."

There was silence round the table. All of us knew what it was like to lose people close us but none of us had ever lost a parent.

"That sucks." Connor stated.

"Poor Lucy." Travis agreed.

Karter nodded and kept going "Lucy's mom's, Elvira Gervasio's…" Annabeth's head shot up.

"Sorry… did you say Elvira Gervasio?" She asked.

"Yes. Why?" Karter said, and I was just as puzzled.

"Nothing really?" Annabeth said "Just thought I'd heard that name before." She bit her lip.

Karter ignored her outburst and kept going "Well anyway, Elvira's parents are both long gone so Clarisa adopted Lucy. They stayed here for about four years before they left for Spain. The last time I saw Lucy…" He choked up.

"It's ok man, you've said enough" I said as Karter blinked away tears.

Karter's eyes were a little bloodshot "Lucy was the only one who ever understood. How much I hated my mom for disappearing, and yet how I used to dream about meeting her. Getting her and my dad back together" I felt a sense of nausea as he said that. Me, Annabeth, Travis and Connor, we all used to have dreams like that.

"Yes. I think everyone here can relate to that." I said. I locked eyes with Annabeth. I knew we were both remembering the sea of monsters, where I had seen her hopes and dreams of building a new world where her parents were back together. She looked ready to cry so I took her hand and weaved my fingers between hers.

Karter watched us with bland curiosity "But Annabeth you have both her parents…don't you?"

Annabeth shook her head "My mom left me on my dad's doorstep when I was a few days old. My dad then remarried and had my little brothers."

Karter turned to me "I know isn't your dad so who…?"

I sighed "My dad left before I was born. I didn't meet him till I was twelve. I still don't see him that often. His wife doesn't like me because they were married when my dad and mom had me. My mom married Paul and he's cool so it's not bad. It's a freakin miracle if you take into a count what my first step-dad was like." I grinded my teeth as I shrugged.

"Our dad stuck around after was born but got scared off when he saw Connor's ugly mug." Travis said earning an elbow in the ribs from Connor. None of us felt like laughing though.

There was silence for a minute "we're all screwed in the parent department aren't we?" Connor said. We all nodded.

We were all so absorbed in self-pity we didn't notice someone come through the curtains from the kitchen "You guys ready to order should I come back later?" I looked up into the smiling face of Lucena Gervasio.

Her coal black hair was pulled into a ponytail; strands had escaped and were now tucked behind her ears. Her eyes were baby blue like a cloudless summer sky and were framed by long, thick, dark lashes. They stood out in her tanned face like a drop of blood red paint on a blank canvas. She was a little lighter skinned than Karter and about an inch and a half shorter. Her shell pink lips were pulled into a smile over her way too perfect, white teeth. She was so exotically beautiful it hurt. She was perhaps as beautiful as Annabeth but as far as I am concerned no one has anything on Annabeth.

"No" Karter said a little too quickly "I think we're ready to order, wait…you're the new waitress?"

"Yep, I got to earn my keep right?" Lucy picked at the notepad she was holding with her pen not looking at any of us.

"You're staying here?" Karter looked hopeful.

"Yes, just like old times." Lucy looked around "This place hasn't changed a bit." she breathed.

"Neither have you." Karter said softly as he locked eyes with Lucy. His hazel brown eyes searched her sky blue ones. They stayed like that and I began to feel awkward looking at them. Years of stories seemed too passed between them within those few seconds.

Annabeth cleared her throat "So does the chorizo paella have chili in it? It doesn't say."

Lucy jumped and stuttered "I…err…no, no it doesn't." Karter looked drained. He may have told us all the facts but he still hadn't told us what exactly was going on between him and this girl. We ordered and Lucy rushed off back to the kitchen.

Karter looked like he was thinking hard "Seriously though, it's disgusting." Karter spat.

"What? The paella?" I asked confused.

"No. I mean, what are the chances of all six us all having an escapee parent?" Karter said.

"Yes, but you know. It's not the god's fault that Zeus doesn't let them visit their kids." Travis shrugged, Annabeth stiffened beside me and I was about to ask what was wrong when I clicked. I tried to motion to Travis to shut the hell up, but he continued obliviously "Like Percy said, Poseidon didn't visit him till he was twelve and he's like the second most powerful Olympian. But then again Percy wasn't meant to exist. And in Annabeth's case Athena has to obey her father though I have to admit I don't think that's ever stopped her before. And it's not like Athena could bring up Annabeth on Olympus." Karter's eyes bulged as his mouth fell open. Thunder rumbled outside.

"Travis!" Annabeth complained hiding her face in her hands.

"What?" The Stolls asked with clueless expressions.

"What did he do?" Connor questioned.

"Travis you absolute half-arsed dimwit. You just blew it." I sighed, sinking back into my chair arms crossed. Their faces were so comical I almost chuckled.

Travis and Connor both saw Karter's shocked face and put the pieces together. They shared a look of realization "Oh right that…Well you could have warned us." Connor scoffed.

"You…You're Demigods." Karter said looking between me and Annabeth.

"A round of applause for Sherlock over here." I joked gesturing toward Karter. I cannot say I was looking forward to explaining everything to him.


	14. Chapter 12: Six

**Sorry about the long wait. I'm getting ready to do my GCSE's. And that means A LOT of revision! I'm only 14 and I already have to choose what I want to do with my life, well at least this means I only have two more years of doing maths because I am DEFINITELY not doing that as an AS-level.**

_Last chapter…_

"_You…You're Demigods." Karter said looking between me and Annabeth._

"_A round of applause for Sherlock over here." I joked gesturing toward Karter. I cannot say I was looking forward to explaining everything to him._

_A_nnabeth's POV

"This is…I don't understand." Karter stuttered "How is that possible?"

"ADHD, Dyslexia, one parent missing, attracts trouble, Mediterranean colouring, full name Perseus." I mused "How is it not possible?"

"Gods, you're right. How blind was I?" Karter stared at the table rubbing his temples.

"Very." Connor said.

"But in truth, you never told me you had ADHD of Dyslexia." Karter said defensively. Then he gasped suddenly and stood up "Percy Jackson. I knew it. I knew I'd heard that name before. Annabeth Chase as well. Tantalus, I didn't make the connection…he made you two out to be evil. Travis, Connor you told me about their quest that afternoon. When we were bored and we had just pranked the Aphrodite cabin. With that Mango. Do you remember?"

"Oh, yeah. I remember." Travis nodded while Connor wore a vacant look.

"You do?" Karter grinned.

"Nope." Travis said plainly.

"I remember the golden mango. Man was that the best prank ever but I don't remember any story telling." Connor said.

"Oh yeah, that mango." Travis chuckled before going very serious "how long did it take for that charm speak obedience charm to wear off?"

"It took about a month." Karter shuddered "I think I got the worst deal. What if someone had told me to go kill myself? I really hated Drew and I think the feeling was mutual. But that's beside the point. What I don't get is why you're here."

Percy took it literally "Well, you said your uncle did good paella and I was hungry so…"

"I mean in New York!" Karter interrupted.

"Percy lives here, I need to be down here to work on Olympus and the Stolls got chucked out by Chiron. So here we are." I said.

Karter suddenly looked panicked "I have to tell Lucy." Karter made to get up but Travis grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him back down.

"What? Why?" Travis hissed.

"Chiron obviously didn't think about the consequences of dumping six demi-gods in the same place." Karter hissed back.

"Six? Dude, no wonder you're getting extra help in maths if you can't count to five without getting mixed up." Connor chuckled.

"No, six. There's six." Karter growled and tried to shake Travis off.

I was the first to work it out. I locked eyes with Karter "Lucena?" I breathed just as a high scream echoed from the kitchen.

"LUCENA" Karter threw himself toward the curtain covering the doorway. I pulled out my knife and saw the glint of riptide out of the corner of my eye.

The kitchen was in ruins. The counters were overturned and the oven was completely destroyed. She was curled up against the wall; her arm lay limply at her side. I was bent backward slightly. She was whimpering. The beast towered over her its wings outstretched and a clawed paw lifted as if to strike Lucy across the face and mark her forever. It was a Griffin.

"LUCY." Karter ran and tried to hurl himself at the monster but the Griffin turned to meet him and used its head to bat Karter into the far window. Karter hit it so hard it shattered on him slitting his cheek, he yelled in pain. I looked around for Raimundo and Clarisa but they obviously gone out.

While the beast was busy watching Karter Percy went in low. The Griffin screeched and its neck feathers stood up. It crouched ready to attack. Percy then jumped suddenly using the beasts head as a springboard and landed sitting backwards on its shoulder blades. The Griffin reared up to try and hake Percy off.

Me, Travis and Connor then went for its chest but before we could get there the creature rolled over onto its back crushing a table with Percy still there and jumped back up leaving a weapon less and confused Percy sprawled on the floor.

The beast growled at us and we backed up slightly. Into the wall Lucena was slumped against. She was gasping. The beast turned round and lifted itself up over Percy as if to crush him.

I panicked "Annabeth, NO." He screeched as I ran toward him clutching my knife. The Griffin plunged downward. I pushed him out the way and fell over. Its beak was around half a meter from my chest, I closed my eyes. It's always painful closing the eyes of a dead person and I'm not going to inflict that pain on anyone else. I heard a screech.

It wasn't as painful as I thought it would be, dying. In fact I didn't feel a thing except the feel of hot ash. Something drips onto my face. I lifted my hand to my chest; I could still feel my heart pumping. I opened my eyes.

Karter was standing over me holding a large shard of bloodied glass. He was chalky pale and the cut on him cheek was soaking his shirt. The Griffin was gone but a film bright yellow dust covered the whole room.

Someone slipped their hands under my shoulders and pulled me onto their lap, cradling me their shoulder "And you call me an impulsive idiot?" he raised his eyebrows.

"Oh, shut it." Percy leaned and brushed his lips against mine. I slipped my hand around his neck and pulled him closer, opening my mouth. He was grinning as he deepened the kiss. "You forgot about the curse of Achilles thing again didn't you." He said.

I pulled away "Dam it. _Kolasi__…__gloutos__…__kopro…__Vlamenos__…_urgh_." _I hid my face in my hands.

Percy's eyes were wide "Wow, I didn't even know you even knew those words."

I looked up "Neither did I."

"P…P…Percy…Annabeth." Karter choked out. He was knelt over the limp, blood soaked body of Lucena Gervasio.

**Translation of what Annabeth said… **

**Hell, buttocks, poo, moron …but ruder.**


	15. Chapter 13: We all knew

**Next chapter YAY…just a quick one though.**

**Percy's POV**

"Percy, take your t-shirt off." Annabeth ordered, not even bothering to look at me.

I was startled "Annabeth, I don't think this is really the…"

"I want to use it to stop the bleeding Seaweed brain." She said sharply. Her eyes burned into me so forcefully that before I could even think about what she had just said I was pulling my shirt over my head.

I sighed; it was one of my favourites. We demi-gods had all been trying to outdo each other with our tee slogans since Christmas. The one that amuses Thalia the most when we next see her wins and gets five dollars from everyone involved.

This was one shirt I was very emotionally attached to, it was blue and said _'please wait'_ and then had a picture of a loading sign and under that it said _'Sarcastic comment loading'_ I was convinced that it was going to be the one that Thalia name me the winner for. Even though Nico does have this really cool top that says _'I lik__e you, but if monsters __chase us I'm tripping __you__'. _But more importantly, I had been wearing that shirt when I told Annabeth I love her for the first time.

Lucena's breathing was shallow now. Her chest quivered as it heaved. One of her arms was twisted back and I could see the light sheen of a bone under her skin. The skin around it was gruesome shades of purple and green. Her shoulder was dislocated and the wound on her stomach was obviously deep, and undoubtedly fatal. I gulped and turned away. I could hear Karter whispering encouragement and endearments in Spanish as he knelt over her, tears dripping from his chin onto her face.

Annabeth's hands were coated from trying to staunch the blood flow from Lucena's abdomen. She wasn't crying though, her features were scrunched together and she had a forceful look of concentration on her face as if she believed if she just stared long enough at the wound it would close up and everything would be okay.

Travis and Connor's heads were bowed. I wasn't sure if they were praying or they just didn't want to watch, probably both.

But we all knew. That Lucena Gervasio wouldn't see tomorrow.

**Oh a cliffy. YAY**


	16. Chapter 14: Say a little prayer for you

**OKAY, ENJOY!**

"Annabeth, there's nothing you can do for her now." I whispered into her hair so that Karter wouldn't hear. She nodded slowly. Leaving my soaked t-shirt on Lucena's stomach, she shuffled backward into my arms and hid her face in my neck. I could feel the warm of her breath on my shoulder. I put my arm around her and she wrapped her arms around me.

"Do you want your t-shirt back?" Annabeth breathed.

I looked at the t-shirt "No" I realised I wouldn't ever be able to look at that shirt the same way again, knowing that it had failed to save Lucena's life. Knowing that I had failed to save Lucena's life.

Karter brought his head up but seemed to look right through us "She can't die." he said "There was meant to be so much more, so much more was promised." his eyes were red and puffy and his arms coated with blood. Not just Lucy's but his, he had badly sliced himself stabbing the Gryphon with that huge shard of glass.

Karter looked into my eyes _"The fate of light and joy intertwined_

_Their hearts it does tightly bind_

_Descendants of time tied as one_

_After he himself is gone_

_A secret kept for 15 years_

_Till the son of water appears_

_The secret bound to the stars_

_Will reopen histories faded scars"_

"A prophecy." Annabeth breathed.

"I was so sure she was part of it, Clarisa always said it was about us. Both of us." Karter choked.

Then it hit me "There's still something we can do. Even if she really is a half-blood then there's only a tiny chance this will work. It usually only works on the children of Apollo but if he's in a merciful mood…" I trailed off, frowning gravely at the others. I was supposed to be the child of the prophecy. But I've given up on Lucena when I knew there was still a chance she could live.

I moved myself into a kneeling position and put my hands on my knees. Lifting my head up to the sky I could see through the hole in the roof I closed my eyes as I started to pray to Apollo.

"_Μεγάλο Θεό Απόλλωνα, θεού της ιατρικής και Θεραπείας, εισάκουσε την προσευχή αυτής της υπαλλήλου. Θεραπεύστε της, Θεέ της ιατρικής."_ I said focusing my mind on Lucena's wounds.

Annabeth, Travis and Connor caught on and took up the chant_" Αγγίξτε της και τραβήξτε έξω την ασθένεια. Κάντε την αφή και με τον καθαρισμό σας. Θεραπεύστε της. Κάντε την καλά."_

I could see the warm glow that bathed my face through my eyelids but I didn't lose concentration even when Karter gasped. We repeated the hymn _"Μεγάλο Θεό Απόλλωνα, θεού της ιατρικής και Θεραπείας, εισάκουσε την προσευχή αυτής της υπαλλήλου. Θεραπεύστε της, Θεέ της ιατρικής. Αγγίξτε της και τραβήξτε έξω την ασθένεια. Κάντε την αφή και με τον καθαρισμό σας. Θεραπεύστε της. Κάντε την καλά."_

The glowed faded and I opened my eyes. Lucena's lay very still, so still I felt my heart jump into my throat for fear we had failed and she was dead. But all the blood was gone. There wasn't a speck of it on each of us. My shirt, which still lay scrunched up on her stomach, looked like it had been just dry cleaned not used to stop someone bleeding to death. Her arm was straight, her stomach smooth without the faintest hint of a scar. Her cheeks flushed with colour as her eyes fluttered open.

"Well, I'm not sure what just happened but I don't want to do it again anytime soon." Lucy muttered sarcastically as she sat up rubbing her forehead. She leaned against Karter who was only too happy to oblige.

"Looks like Apollo heard us." I grinned "Can I have my shirt back now?" Annabeth rolled her eyes, grabbed the shirt and threw it at my face. I pulled it over my head.

"Apollo?" Lucena asked. Her eyes wide, she turned to Karter "They're…?"

"Yes, they're all half-bloods." He nodded.

She looked at us all in turn "Who's your godly parents?" She quizzed.

"I'm a daughter of Athena. Percy's dad's Poseidon and Travis and Connor are sons of Hermes." Annabeth answered "And you?" She said.

"Apollo, my dad's Apollo." She smiled, showing us her now obviously hereditary perfect white teeth.

Annabeth and I shared a disbelieving look "Well that was lucky then." I said.

"But my mom was a daughter of Asteria" She smiled as if this were totally normal.

We all looked at Annabeth "The Star Goddess, she was the daughter of Phoebe and the mother of Hecate. Legend has it she ran away from and married an Indian king. Apparently she came back to Olympus at some point." Annabeth shrugged.

"Wait your mom is a demi-god?" Travis said unsurely.

"Was a demi-god." Lucy corrected him flinching.

"Wait." Connor said "So you're like a three-quarter god."

"Well they tend to refer to me as a legacy, it makes everything simpler." Lucena pursed her lips. She searched our eyes as if she expected us to reject her "I guess I'm not exactly the norm."

I gave her a reassuring smile "Well then, welcome to the club Miss. Gervasio."

"We're way weirder than you so don't sweat it. I'd like to see how the Apollo cabin deal's with having another sister. At the moment only six of them are girls and the boys are all idiots, and that's me saying that." Travis joked.

Annabeth smirked "Yeah, some of the other Apollo kids you'll meet won't be exactly the sharpest of minds so if you ever get fed up with your brothers or even your sisters you can always come to the Athena kids or the oracle for some down time." she said.

I snorted "Yeah, because just going into the Athena cabin is enough to put you to sleep." Annabeth glared at me and gave me a shove.

"I have siblings?" Lucena said her eyes wide with hope.

"Are you kidding me, Apollo reproduces at the same rate rodents do." Travis laughed.

"Now all the minor god's kids have their own cabins and moved out of Hermes, Apollo cabin has the largest population." Connor added.

We heard the sound of a key being turned in a lock just before Raimundo appeared. His smiled turned to a thunderous scowl as he took in the ruins that had once been his beloved kitchen "WHAT ON EARTH?" he screeched. We all jumped up. Clarisa trundled in behind him and gasped.

"We can explain." Karter squeaked uncertainly.

**TA DA! **

**Translation of the prayer to Apollo:**

**Great God Apollo, God of Medicine and Healing, hear these servant's prayers. Heal her, oh God of medicine. Touch her and pull the disease out. Make her healthy with your cleansing touch. Heal her. Make her well.**


	17. Chapter 15: Not often enough

**Sorry for the long wait, I have such a long list of reasons that I could list but I'm not gonna bother. As all of you know: S**t happens. **

**THIS HAS BEEN NOW MADE LONGER**

**Annabeth's POV**

"Seriously Percy, how long is going to take." I groaned. I was slumped against the pale teal wall outside the Blofis's toilet. "We were supposed to be there twenty minutes ago." I stressed twenty.

"You can't rush perfection wise girl." He called from inside the toilet; I could hear the tap running. I rolled my eyes. "I saw that." he called out to me.

"What?" I said.

"I can practically feel you rolling your eyes at me." Percy answered.

"Whatever seaweed brain. Shut up and finish off, I'm dying of old age out here." I whined at him. I crossed my arms just as Sally walked past with the dirty washing basket. She smiled at me and nodded in an 'I know exactly how you feel.' sort of way.

"Let's move it people." Percy barrelled out the bathroom and down the stairs so fast all I saw was a flash of green t-shirt, dark blue jeans and black hair. I picked up my bag and three steps by three steps descended leaping down the staircase.

When I climbed in car Percy looked up at me, his green eyes shining, I shivered. He frowned "You cold?"

"No, just…happy." I said softly.

He chuckled "Okay." he shook his head as he jammed the keys in the ignition. I stared at his face as we drove; his dark hair was a little shaggy. He pursed his lips and furrowed his brow as he turned a sharp corner. He really was very handsome, and not is a lumbering sort of way like a lot of high school boys, he had a sort of refined strength in him that made him look trustworthy and brave; A born leader. We stopped at some traffic lights. He must have felt his eyes on me as he turned his head to smile at me.

"What?" He asked smiling.

"Nothing." I said, my eyes not leaving his face.

His eyes softened slightly and he stared at me so intensely it felt like he was reading my soul "You're beautiful Annabeth, really very beautiful, I don't tell you often enough but you are." I sucked in some air and my stomach flipped.

The car behind us beeped its horn and we jumped out of the bubble we had made; Percy and I. Not a real bubble, although he can do that.

"Okay dude… or girl or whatever, just cool it." He thundered, glancing through the back window as he did. I don't think the person could actually hear him.

"Thank you Percy." I said. I pressed my lips softly against his and gave him a quick kiss. I drew back.

"That was a pathetic kiss, but rather nice all the same." Percy chirped, he jiggled the gearbox and we shot off again. I brought my hand up and curled up my fist. Percy saw me.

"I'm driving. That's just a bad idea." He said. I brought my fist back and thumped him hard in the arm.

"Ow." I yelped, reeling my fist back. I inspected the red patch on my knuckles and began to nurse it. Percy was sniggering.

"You've really got to start remembering about that." He snorted.

"I'm in pain, you're meant to be sympathetic." I growled.

"Yeah, but it's just so funny." he let out a sigh and began to concentrate on the road once more.

"You could warn me, like, _hey Annabeth remember before you do that that my skin is as hard as rock and you could end up with a few broken fingers._" I said in a deep voice.

"I don't talk like that." Percy said.

"I know you don't, it's just my go to boy voice." I explained.

"It's rubbish."

"Well, it's a good thing I'm not a boy then." I sarkily retorted.

Percy laughed "I love it when you get all wound up." I ignored his comment and turned to stare out my window. We were slowing now. We drew up outside a large high-rise, silver building. The reflection of the car could be seen on the metal and glass.

I drew in a breath "Nice!" I exclaimed "Is this Sky's building?" I scanned the apartment building with my eyes. It silver with large windows, and you would probably get a great view of the city from one of the apartments.

"Yeah. Nice, very…shiny." Percy said unconvincingly. I raised my eyebrows at him. He shrugged "What? I'm sorry, but to me it's just a lump of metal." he said. He pulled in to a parking space outside.

Percy took my hand as we walked through one of the two sets of double doors into the lobby. It was modern with white couches down the middle and a long, sleek, black desk against the right wall. The receptionist was a young, tanned guy, about nineteen with a tiny, blonde quiff and a black suit and striped red and navy tie.

"Hey. Welcome to the 111, central park, north apartment complex. What can I do for you sweetheart?" The guy said to me. Well, I hope he was talking to me and not Percy, unless it's become an everyday occurrence for guys to call other guys sweetheart. I felt Percy grip my hand tighter, I squeezed it reassuringly. He led me to the counter.

"Could you tell us which floor apartment number six is on?" Percy said, his jaw tight as the guy looked at me, his gaze made me want to squirm and hide behind Percy. Instead I just moved closer to him.

"Let me just check." the guy winked at me and turned to his computer "Floor three, the right wing." He grinned and continued to look at me as if Percy didn't exist "Do you want me to call the apartment so I can buzz you up."

"Yes, please." I said. I chewed my lip.

"Let me guess, you're here to see Sky Flockton." the guy asked.

"Uh…yeah, and some other friends." I stuttered, not sure where this was going.

"Nice girl, you been friends long?" He leant across the desk. He wore a, what seemed legitimate, interested look

"No, she's one of my boyfriend's friend's. I've only known her a week." I gave him a small polite smile before shooting Percy a helpless look.

The guy frowned and nodded "You're boyfriend…"

"Is here," Percy interrupted calmly and firmly "So could you just buzz us up?"

The blonde guy, who was now trying to stare Percy down, picked up the phone beside him and dialled "This is reception. Hey Ralph, could you pass me over to your sister please?" The guy spun round in his chair and then back again "Hey Sky, I've got…"

"Annabeth Chase." I prompted.

"Percy Jackson." Percy said.

The guy put the phone against his chest and smiled "Annabeth. What a pretty name, unusual to, did your parents…"

"Stop it. Okay dude. I'm not cool with you hitting on the girl I'm in love with right under my nose." Percy said, his jaw squared, I could see a little muscle moving in it "Just, leave her alone." he said sternly. The guy's eyebrows were scrunched together, like he was charting Percy's every movement.

The guy put the phone to his ear again "Annabeth and Percy are here to see you, should I buzz them up? Okay." he put the phone down "Go on up." he said.

We turned to walk away "Annabeth!" the guy called after me.

"What?" I turned round to face him, fire burning in my eyes. This guy really just couldn't take a hint. He passed me a note; I obviously assumed it was his number.

"Look…" I realised I didn't know his name "What's your name?"

"Apollo." He grinned at me showing off a set of bright white teeth.

My brain went numb and my mouth fell open "Ap…p…pollo." I stuttered "Why?"

"Why not?" he winked, he waved the piece of paper in my face, and said "I wish I could stay but, I don't want to, gotta go." I hid my eyes as he flashed away.

I turned around to see Percy sitting on a couch, staring at me with his chin practically grazing the floor "I have a question." he choked out.

I plonked down beside him, holding the note "Yes."

"Why was the god of the sun flirting with you?" Percy looked at me. I opened the little note Apollo had given me. The note was a square piece of cream card with something written in gold writing.

_Wasn't my idea, although it was kind of fun._

_Athena wanted to see how you and Percy would react, and you know a bet is a bet._

_She thought Percy would punch me; he just won me 50 gold drachmas._

_Thank him for me._

_Apollo_

I started to laugh "Don't worry about it," I said to Percy "let's just go up." I took his hand and led him toward the elevator "Apollo says thanks by the way.

**English people**

**We are a nation of people that are often stereotyped. I am here today to give the facts behind the opinion.**

**Bad teeth- BIG FAT LIE, I don't know where that came from.**

**E. Posh accents- I personally have a posh accent, as I come from Surrey :) But there's many other accents; such as Cockney, Geordie and Brummie.**

**H. Rude- Well, we're more sarcastic than rude to be honest. **

**I. Hate Americans- Actually, this one's not true. Most English people love the Americans, and it's just the small majority that go around slagging off the Americans. But they're not even considered as English people, they have their own race called 'chav'!**

**K. Drink a lot of tea- Ok, I can't deny this one.**

**Just go watch Charlieissocoollike or Nerimon on YouTube to find out what English people are really like!**

**I hope that cleared some things up for you! Have a nice day, and cheerio ; D**


	18. Chapter 16: Apartment 6

**Percy's POV**

By the time we got to the third floor we had recovered a little from our encounter with Apollo.

"Hi" A boy aged about eight answered the door. He was white blonde with long lashes and large grin, he was dressed in jeans and a blue polo shirt with a deer embroidered in green over the right side of his chest. He was holding an X-box controller, and stared up at us with large, calculating, grey eyes, a deep silver even. He was fiddling with the X-box controller furiously even though I could see on the screen behind him the game was paused.

"Hey, what's your name?" I smiled warmly at him.

"Ralph Dominic Sebastian Spencer Flockton." he said as if he had rehearsed it "Do I know you?"

"No I don't think so, I'm Percy and this is Annabeth." I answered.

Annabeth smiled at the little boy "Nice to meet you Ralph."

Just the Sky appeared with Joey. Sky was carrying a little girl of about two on her hip. The little girl had short, golden ringlets that bounced as Sky walked, and large dark brown eyes that held a kind of absent minded innocence that reminded me of my brother, Tyson.

Sky started to talk as she got nearer "Hey guys you're early, my Dad and Alice are going out with Katie tonight…" I guessed the little girl was her sister Katie that she had told me about and I knew Alice was her stepmom "but Ralph is staying here, you two don't mind do you?"

"No, of course we don't. I was right it was seven not six we were meant to get here." I shook my head. I looked at Annabeth; she had zoned out and was drinking in every aspect of the luxury apartment. It was open plan with floor to ceiling windows off to the left. The floor was light, solid wood and the furniture was modern and stylish. Sky's father must have a really good job.

"Okay I'm ready." A pretty, petite, brunette of about thirty emerged from a room off to the right. She was dressed in a casual, floaty, floral dress. She was tanned and had the same large, innocent, brown eyes as her young daughter, whom she came over and liberated Sky of.

"Hello, it's nice to meet you." The brunette said to me and Percy as she shook our hands "I'm Alice."

"I'm Annabeth Chase." Annabeth said, Alice smiled at her.

"Percy Jackson." I said.

"Well," Alice said looking from me to Joey "High school boys are definitely better looking than they were a decade ago. Speaking of good looking, where's Spence?"

"In his office," Sky answered in a jokey tone "where else?"

"I heard that." A large man in a suit and a white, open collar shirt and dark-blonde hair walked in. He went right up to his wife and put his arms around her "So, I think I also heard your names." he smiled at me and Annabeth "Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase, right?" he had an unmistakably English accent.

"Yes, we are. You're British?" I asked.

**(A/N: Sorry, I just couldn't help myself!)**

"Yes, I came over for my job when Sky was ten, just after Ralph was born. I'm a manager for EDF energy, the American branch. I control trading, electricity and some nuclear power stations in the US, Argentina and Brazil." he nodded, and ruffled Ralph's hair as Ralph came and stood by him. Now I thought about it, if you listen to Sky's voice really carefully when she says certain words, you can hear the sort of melody that the English have in their tone.

"Wait, you're a British guy, who works for Électricité de France in America?" Annabeth frowned.

"When you put it like that it does sound a little curious." Spencer chuckled "Anyway, we better make a move." he took my hand and shook it as he walked out "Nice meeting you Percival."

"Actually my name's Perseus, Percy is short for Perseus." I told him.

"What an interesting name." Spencer said "Nice meeting you too Annabeth." He held the front door as Alice walked through it with Katie "Bye everyone, help yourself to food and drinks and the suchlike but don't overfeed Ralph or he'll never sleep. Have a good time." Spencer turned and followed his wife into the elevator.

I felt something tugging on my shirt, I looked down to find two big blue eyes staring at me "Percy, will you please play with me?" Ralph pleaded.

I softened under his gaze. I had forty minutes before everyone arrived anyway "Sure buddy, go pick a game." I grinned as he stumbled over in excitement and bounced back up again while running toward a cupboard next to the TV.

I looked around to see the two girls and Joey smiling at me.


	19. Chapter 17: You lose

**Percy's POV**

Ralph laughed as my game character went down again, "You lose again." he said gleefully, he began to dance around me singing "You lose, you lose, you lose."

Joey, Sky and Annabeth laughed too, they were sat on various pieces of furniture around the TV. The buzzer went off and Sky went to answer it.

"Sucker," Joey said "you just lost at Halo to a seven year old," I narrowed my eyes at him but he just laughed again and added "for the fifth time."

"You try," I said to Joey "the kid's a pro."

I waited until a still singing and dancing Ralph had done a full circle around my beanbag before, grabbing him round the thighs, and hoisting him over my shoulder in a fireman's carry. Ralph was laughing more than singing now.

"Surrender or die!" I said evilly. Ralph pounded on my back and wriggled.

"Never," Ralph squeaked between chuckles. I moved Ralph in arms so that he was then hanging upside down over my beanbag while I held his legs to my chest. His face was looking away from me and his floppy white blonde hair dangled about three inches from the beanbag.

"What do you say?" I said grinning, my eyes flashing. I swayed him from side to side a bit.

Ralph took in a deep breath "You lose." he said giggling.

I was just about to put him down when there was a knock on the door "I'll get it" I said, I made my way to the door with Ralph still hanging from me, giggling.

"Be careful with him." Sky shouted after me.

I opened the door to find Connor and Evie, they both looked at me, then at the wriggling, gangly seven year old that I was holding upside down, and then they started laughing.

Connor then crouched down beside Ralphs face and said "Did you know if you stay upside down for too long your eyes pop out."

Ralph looked shocked for a moment before putting his hands over his eyes and yelling "I don't want my eyes to pop out, put me down."

Evie shoved Connor and said "Don't scare him like that." as I put Ralph back on his feet.

"Sorry," Connor squirmed under Evie's gaze, he then turned to Ralph again "It's not true kid, I was lying, your eyes don't come out your head," Ralph looked relived before Connor added "Your brains come out your ears."

"Connor!" Everyone moaned, or in Sky's case screeched.

**Oh Connor what are we going to do with you!**


	20. Chapter 18: She looks like you

**Sorry it took so long ;)**

It took about twenty minutes for Sky to calm Ralph down and another twenty for all us to convince him that he was not going to lose his brains, nor his eyes and another five to get him to open his eyes and take his hands away from his ears.

Connor was sat, sulking on the couch the whole time. Robbie was sat next to him with a sheepish expression, he was also in disgrace because as soon as he found out what had happened he had started choking with laughter. Courtney found Robbie's disgrace hilarious, and was sat next to him trying to supress a grin.

"So…I'm going to live." Ralph said; his big blue eyes boring into Sky.

"Yes sweetie." Sky stroked his hair. She turned round and gave Connor a stern look "It's hard enough trying to get him to sleep with his ADHD, now it's going to take forever."

I tensed and looked at Percy with a look that said _'No way'__. _He shook his head at me and leaned in to whisper "Just because the kid has ADHD doesn't mean he's one of us."

Connor was staring at Percy and I with a confused expression as if to say _'Did you know about this?'_

"I suppose…but…" I whispered back thinking deeply. Was it possible? We'd already found two new demi-gods this week and we weren't even looking for them. We may as well have found another.

"You want me to find out, don't you?" Percy smiled and squeezed my hand. I gave him a small smile.

"Hey, Percy, Annie, if you guys need some time alone then there's a room next door." Joey chuckled and leant back in his chair. Annie…did he just call me Annie? The room seemed to darken.

Percy, knowing my feelings toward that particular nickname said "Uh oh, you're dead." Percy shook his head at Joey "It was nice knowing you dude."

"Why am I dead?" Joey asked.

"Did you just call me…Annie?" I narrowed my eyes as my face went stony. They glimmered like steel under a full moon.

Joey's face fell "I'm really, really, seriously sorry Annabeth." He gulped his eyes wide. Wow, I must look really scary.

"Apology accepted." I said shrugging.

"So, Ralph's got ADHD." Percy interjected.

"Yeah, must come from his mom's side of the family." Sky shrugged.

"Because his mom…is not your mom?" Connor prodded.

"No, my mom and dad were married for three years before they had me; they got hitched in college. Then she died when I was young. Dad fell in love with this other woman and they had Ralph. Her name was something foreign, like Alma or something" Sky explained, Ralph sat next to her on his PSP only looking up when he heard his name.

"Is Ralph much like her?" I asked.

"I don't know," Sky furrowed her brow as though she was straining to remember something "I don't remember ever meeting her. I think she was older than my dad though."

Percy let out a little snicker beside me, he was probably thinking what I was thinking; that if Ralph is a half-blood the chances are that his mom was older than his dad. It seemed a little ironic that Sky would say that.

"Just a year or two though…I think. She just dumped Ralph on my dad and left" Sky said, she looked hurt, upset even at how her little brothers life had started.

"That's terrible." Courtney said. Sky nodded.

"My mom dumped me on my dad and ran off too. It sucked, especially went he got married and had the twins." I said empathetically.

Ralph looked up from his game "You can see a picture of her if you like, Daddy gave me the only one he had." Before any of us could say anything he shot of in the direction, of what I assumed was, his bedroom.

"I didn't know he had a picture." Sky frowned.

"I got it." Ralph shouted triumphantly as he emerged with a photo in his hand, it was framed in a silver frame with leaves engraved on it. To my surprise he walked straight up to me and handed it over, staring deep into my eyes, looking right back into them I saw something I did not expect to, myself.

"She looks like you." He said in a small voice. I looked down at the picture and into the steel grey eyes of my mother. Athena.


	21. Chapter 19: Resembalance Or Not?

**Hey guys**

**Glad you liked the last update. I was on a walking holiday in the Alps, so it was short but dramatic.**

**So…what do you think of the ****Olympics.**

**The opening ceremony was something else huh?**

**I have to say WE TOTALLY OWNED BEJING'S AS SOON AS WE BROUGHT OUT THE FOURTY FOOT VOLDOMORT. I have to admit at the beginning with the rural peasants I was sorta face palming but then Brunel turned up and brought out the big chimneys and it all went good from there.**

**And Rowan Atkinson, the love of my life, was sooooooooo funny, if any of you people have seen Johnny English, Mr. Bean or even better: Blackadder (preferably Blackadder goes forth), I will technologically kiss you. My sides were splitting watching his hilarious piano routine. THAT people is real British humour!**

**It you have not watched it I advise you too, hundreds of years of British history all together in performance ;) I want you guys to see where I come from!...does that sound weird :/**

**Watching the Olympic rowing right now:**

**3 gold**

**and **

**1 silver **

**for us so far. **

**We're coming 3rd in the medal table. Not bad at all for country smaller than the American state of Oregon.**

**My rowing club will be completely buzzing**

**YAY, Doctor who is back on in the autumn (The Fall for some of you guys) and guess who's in it…Filch (the caretaker/ Janitor) from Harry Potter.**

_Last time…_

_"She looks like you." He said in a small voice. I looked down at the picture and into the steel grey eyes of my mother. Athena._

Percy's POV

Annabeth's voice peeked a little too much as she spoke "She does doesn't she." she faked a smile. Ralph just stared at her, as though he knew she was hiding something…something big.

I leaned in and took at the photo and learned exactly what I thought I would. Ralph is Annabeth's little brother.

Sky took the picture from Annabeth's hands and the others leant over her so they could see.

"She does sort of look like Annabeth," Joey squinted at the photo "similar eyes and nose."

"Yeah, but Ralph's mom's lips are different," Courtney said looking between Annabeth and the photo of Athena "Annabeth's bottom lip is slightly fuller and Annabeth has a heart-shaped face not an oval one." Courtney was in line to get an Art scholarship so I wasn't surprised when she came out with that. She spends her life examining people's faces.

"Well, that might be to do with the fact that Annabeth is younger, doesn't that make a difference?" Robbie remarked unsurely.

"You were listening when I said that?" Courtney looked surprised.

"You'd better believe it baby." Robbie laughed nervously. Just so you know, Courtney and Robbie have been together since seventh grade and most of the time they act like a little old couple, but despite all the niggling at each other and Courtney's inability to not be pedantic with him, they're in love and probably the most likely out of all of us (except hopefully Annabeth and I) to stay together for the rest of their lives.

"If you just look at her then Annabeth you can really see it. And the eyes, oh my god, they're like identical! What do you think Connor?" Evie observed.

"I don't know, sure they look at little similar but the colouring is way off. I mean dark hair and olive skin is more Percy than Annabeth." Connor attempted to hide his surprise at Ralph being a son of Athena and deter everyone else from the truth at the same time.

Annabeth was worried, I could see it; her shoulders were tense and her jaw clenched. Waiting for the moment they would join up the dots. Her body language screamed _'Get me out of here!'_.

"Hey, why don't Annabeth and I go make drinks for everyone?" I said, shattering the silence.

When I had taken everyone's orders, I took Annabeth by the hand and lead her into the flashy, open kitchen.

"You ok Wise girl?" I whispered endearingly as I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I don't why this is so different to all the other times I've got a new sibling, this time it just feels so…" she frowned, as if searching for the right phrase.

"Close to home." I offered.

She looked up at me, eyes glittering "Exactly." she let out a deep breath "You know what this means right?"

"What?" I scrunched my brows together.

She rolled her eyes "Well, two things. One, Sky is my step-sister"

I nodded "I got that one."

"And two, we better make an appointment with Mr. Flockton. We need to find out what he knows"

"Why? Ralph is so young; can't we just keep it quiet?" I asked.

"He's the same age as I was when I ran away and learned to use a knife." Annabeth stared deep into my eyes. I looked at Ralph, and it hit me just how young she would have been. He looked so small and vulnerable wedged in between Joey and Sky on the Couch. I couldn't imagine him being in second grade let alone wielding a knife.

Annabeth sighed and continued "I need to find out what happened. I have a feeling it might be important, I have a feeling it might have something to do with Lucena and Karter's prophecy." I storm seemed to be raging behind her pupils as I looked into them "Something big is happening Percy, and we have to make sure we're prepared."

"You think their prophecy is coming to pass?"

She nodded "Think about the first line of their prophecy 'The fate of light and joy intertwined', light and joy, that's Lucy and Karter."

"Their hearts it does tightly bind" I added.

"Descendants of time tied as one, after he himself is gone. That's Kronos, most probably anyway." Annabeth explained arms crossed.

I remembered the next line "A secret kept for 15 years. What secret? and why fifteen years?"

"Till the son of water appears. That's you, maybe? Maybe not?"

"The secret bound to the stars. Another secret or maybe the same one." I mused.

"Will reopen histories faded scars" Annabeth bit her lip in thought.

"Where do we start?" I ran hand through my hair.

Annabeth opened a nearby cupboard with her back to me and took out a stack of glasses out, she placed them on the counter in front of her before spinning to face me smiling with a gleam in her eye "New York headquarters for Électricité de France" she said.

**Watch Heartlines-Florence+themachine by philwasyellow on youtube; I'm in it ;D**

Review if you like my story and read my authors note (if I didn't want people to read them I wouldn't put them on).


	22. I got an idea:D

**DUN DUN DUNNNNNN!**

**I have a new idea for a story,**

**Poseidon and Sally,**

**Sally's everyday life mixed in with flashbacks of that summer right up whenever! :D**

**Important days in Percy' young life will be involved.**

**I was just thinking it would be cool to explore how **Poseidon and Sally** met? How he told her he was a god? How she told him about Percy?**

**And what Sally thought after, on When Percy was born? Percy's first day of kindergarten? The times he got kicked out of school? When he went to camp?**

**I thought it would be cool for her to have these flashbacks of poseidon and Percy's early life while watching his life from 18 upwards! Graduating high school and College (he might not even go to college), getting his first job, proposing, getting married, having kids of his own!**

**I'll probably start it when I've finished this one...it depends how popular the idea is!**

**Review or PM me and tell me what you think ;D**


	23. Chapter 20: Two doors to your right

**I got to hold the Olympic torch, when it came through my town, they brought it into the 'Inn on the lake' pub where people could hold it, woop woop!**

**So it's three in the afternoon so that means for the majority of you it's probably around (do dah do dah do 16 minus 8…ummmmm, gods I hate maths…OH) 8 in the morning, wakey wakey, rise and shine ;D**

**Yay we made it to the 20****th**** chappy and I'm well on my way too 400 reveiws, help me pleez!**

**Annabeth's POV**

I held the picture up to the light; I could almost see seawater glistening in his eyes when I did it. I never knew Percy as a little kid, I never thought about the fact that when I was running around with Thalia and Luke, fighting monsters and living in safe houses. He was here, in this apartment, sleeping, eating, going to school and doing homework. Well, probably not doing homework in Percy's case, but the point still stands.

I smiled sadly as I came across one photo I found particularly sweet. It was of Percy in the bath aged about four. The bath was overflowing with bubbles. Percy grinned, a toothy, impish grin, as he sported an uneven, bubbly beard and haircut.

I wondered whether or not my dad had any pictures like this of me, I doubted it. My thoughts of my messed up childhood were dispelled as a tanned arm curled itself around my waist.

"You were cute back then." I stated.

"I'm sorry...just back then." Percy's arm loosened and I turned to face him, he raised his eyebrows and crossed his arms.

I rolled my eyes "Get over yourself, Seaweed Brain." I grabbed his arm, and lead him in the direction of the front door.

"Where are we going?" Percy protested.

I turned round so my nose was about an inch from his. I could see every single one of his dark, perfect lashes. Gods, he was gorgeous. With his strong jaw and tanned skin, dark, shaped eyebrows and dark, shell pink lips. Need I even mention his eyes, I felt like I should be swimming in them, not looking into them. Colour rose in my cheeks slightly, I stepped back, trying to hide it with a solitary look. It didn't fool him.

Percy laughed "You're blushing." he stroked one of my cheeks as I glared at him "After all this time I can still make Annabeth Chase blush by just standing near her." I rolled my eyes.

"You're not even denying it, this is a key moment in history, where's the camera." he chuckled as I took his arm again and lead him out the front door.

"We're going to see Mr. Flockton today, about Ralph." I said, trying to change the subject.

"I thought that was Wednesday?" Percy asked as we clambered into Paul's Prius.

"There was a cancellation. I told the Stolls, Karter and Lucy to meet us there."

Whizzing through the streets of New York, well not really whizzing through them, more like jerking, I started to feel a little homesick. The buildings here tower over you; it's a quite claustrophobic sort of feeling. The buildings in San Francisco are on average about four stories high. I realised I'd just thought of San Francisco as home. I guess I have a lot of homes, my dad's house, Percy's home, camp. I was still thinking about this and staring out the window when we arrived; Percy had to poke me to get my attention.

"Daydreaming about me Wise girl." He questioned, with a glint in his eye and crooked smile.

"You wish." I said as I walked into the building with Percy behind me.

"I heard that." Percy protested.

"Well I said it loud." I laughed. Just then I caught a glimpse of two identical curly, brunette mops of hair, and they caught sight of me.

"Hey guys, Connor told me what happened at Sky's." Travis said, as he jogged over.

"Oh, guys, Lucy and Karter are already here, just so you know. They're at the desk." Connor informed us. He seemed pretty down.

Percy and I turned our heads to look at the Hispanic sophomores standing in profile to us at the front desk. From the side they could almost pass for twins. They chatted with the lady that was there for a few more seconds before they made their way over to us.

"'sup guys" Karter greeted us, eyes shining, his hands buried in his New York Knicks hoodie.

"Hey people, we have ten minutes, give or take, before we go up." Lucy smiled. She'd got over the whole dying thing fast. But being close to death was sort of something most half-bloods have to deal with.

"Are you ready for this? We don't know how much he knows, or if he'll even believe us." Percy said taking me hand.

"Yeah, what's the worst that can happen?" I shrugged.

"He could die from a shock induced cardiac arrest." Connor said solemnly.

"What the hell are you on?" Travis asked, staring at his brother.

I ignored Connor and Travis "Anyway, I'm going to ask what he knows, if he asks why I want to know, which he probably will, I'll tell him the truth. I'm her daughter."

"What if he wants proof?" Karter said.

"I…I…" I thought for a second, I hadn't thought about that. I was completely screwed if he asked.

"_Look in your left pocket Annabeth."_ a familiar voice rang through the caverns of my mind. I, almost instinctively, took my hand away from Percy and reached into my pocket.

I felt the stiff edges of a piece of card in my pocket. Gripping it in-between two fingers I pulled it out to look at it. It was a photo, a photo of mom and I. It was of my twelfth birthday, the day I got my invisibility cap. She hadn't given the cap to me in person, it had just appeared on my bed that night, but in this photo she was there. Dressed in a white blouse and grey slacks with her long, dark curls pinned back she looked like any other middle class, working mother. We were sat on the steps of the Athena cabin, her arm was around me and I had my new cap on my knee. We were both smiling and now I could really see what people meant about our eyes being the same.

I turned it over to see _"Happy 12__th__ birthday Annabeth, love Athena (Your mom)" _written in black marker pen.

"I thought you didn't have any photos of her?" Percy broke the silence.

"I didn't." I stated.

Percy put his arm around my waist "You were a cute kid too." he breathed into my ear. I smiled.

"11:30 appointment, Mr. Flockton will see you now. Floor 20, two doors down from your right" The receptionist called before putting the phone down and going back to her computer.

I spun round to face Percy "You knew me at that age, that's different."

He gave me a crooked smile and took my hand "Yeah, I knew you at that age, I also thought you were just about the prettiest girl I'd ever seen at that age." My heart melted.

"We're on a mission here guys, quit goggling each other and get in the freakin' elevator." Travis yelled.

After an interesting, please note sarcasm, of Travis explaining why elevators are great for pranking, we finally reached office 116. Lucy knocked.

"Come on in." I recognised Mr Flockton's voice.

We filed in as Mr Flockton looked up from the paperwork on his desk and frowned "Aren't you Sky's friends."

"Um, yeah, but we're not here about Sky." Percy explained, as Lucy and I sat in the two chairs opposite Mr Flockton while the boys stood.

"Okay, so you want…" Mr Flockton prompted.

"To talk about Ralph." I said. Mr Flockton looked at all of us, a little confused.

"I'm confused. Why would you like to talk about my son, has something happened, is he alright." Mr Flockton stood and started to panic.

"Ralph is fine Mr Flockton, why don't you sit down?" Lucy suggested. Mr Flockton sat, he looked tense and stressed.

"Well we're not here to talk about Ralph so much as…his mother. What can you tell us about her? " I looked Mr Flockton straight in the eye.

"What business do a couple of teenagers have with her?" he started to get angry "I find it quite rude that you burst in here expecting me to answer your personal questions about my past relationship, especially when you're not telling me why you want the information."

"Mr Flockton." I tried to interrupt.

"In fact I want you out. I cannot believe that you…"

"Athena is my mother too." I said forcefully.

He stopped in his tracks "Your mother?"

"Yes" I said taking the photo Athena had given me out of my pocket and placed it in front of him "This was taken on my twelfth birthday." I lied, sort of. Mr Flockton picked the photo up and stared at it.

"She was an inspiring woman." He said "How come she never mentioned you."

"Because I'm one of many." I gave him a sad smile "Did you know what she was, why she couldn't keep Ralph."

"Yes." Mr Flockton nodded solemnly "Do your friends know what she was?" he asked me.

"Yes, one of their parents is one too."

Mr Flockton raised his eyebrows "You mean there are six half-gods in this room."

"Not half-gods, demi-gods or Half-bloods." Percy said.

"Yes, Connor and Travis are sons of Hermes, Lucy's Apollo's daughter, Karter's mom is Euphrosyne and Percy's dad is Poseidon. But what I'd really like to know if Athena said anything to you about a prophecy or about Ralph's future." I said.

Mr Flockton poured what looked like tea into a mug and took a sip, he ran a hand through his hair "It was a long time ago my dear, I don't remember anything about a prophecy…but…"

He looked from one to the other of us "she said that Ralph was important, even for a half-god," He stumbled "I mean half-blood." he composed himself and took another sip "That Zeus must never know he exists, he might one day destroy him. Yes, those were her exact words."

Percy and I exchanged a worried look "I think it's time I have a chat with my mom." I said.

**TA DA, what do yer think?**

**Seriously, seriously admire anyone who spots the Peter Pan reference!**

**Do you like my Avatar; it's my holding a lamb when I was on holiday in NZ when I was seven.**


	24. Chapter 21: Divine soul

**Hey, I have news. **

**One: My sister got three A's in her AS-levels which, if she keeps it up, means she can get into pretty much any design course she wants. Probably: Edinbourough or London…Maybe Nottingham and she can drive now! My parents got her a convertible mini cooper for her birthday but they wouldn't let her drive it until she passed her test!**

**Two: My little brother Elliott has started walking. I have yet to decide whether this is a good or a bad thing :3. Thing is he can now get into everything. I now know what drove my sister to lock me in a wardrobe when I was one. He keeps clambering out of his crib and waddling around all over the place. Right now he's chewing my paintbrushes…again, and every time I pick him up and put him on my lap to stop him he just starts wriggling and whimpering, or eating my hair.**

**Disclaimer: Need I even say?**

**Annabeth's POV**

"Percy, where is my yellow shirt?" I yelled. It was five in the afternoon on Wednesday and Percy had just got back from his swim meet.

"Hey, calm down, not so loud, I'm right outside your bedroom door, and why would I know?" Percy said from the other side of the door.

I growled. I was cleaning my room in my jeans and bra. In all the excitement of the past week I had forgotten to put my clothes in the wash, my robe was in the bathroom and Percy was being about as helpful as a sock. To be honest, I would have preferred the sock; it doesn't talk back.

"Can you look in the pile of clothes on the table?" I said forcefully, clearing up a load of graphite pencils that had fallen onto the carpet.

"Do your legs not work?" He asked chuckling.

"Please Percy, for me." I begged, sorting the blueprints on my bed.

He softened and sighed "Alright." I heard the floorboards squeak as he made his way downstairs. I slid down the door and sat with my back against it. I closed my eyes my eyes and rubbed my temples.

There was a flash of bright light, my eyes flew open and I stood up banging the crown of my head on the doorknob. I saw a white and tan form with dark brown flowing from its summit.

"Mom?" I said, rubbing the top of my head. I'd been trying to get hold of her for the past few days but she hadn't answered me.

I suddenly felt a wave of embarrassment as I attempted to try and cover my bare stomach with my arms.

"I wouldn't worry about that." she smiled "I am your mother you know."

"Yes, you are, and your also Ralph Flockton's mother." She looked me straight in the eyes and sighed. I grabbed my Pyjama top off my bed and slipped it over my head.

"Yes I am." Athena muttered. She lifted her chin up a little higher "I tried to get you sooner but I had to wait till Zeus was busy, I don't want my father…knowing."

"That you're talking to me?" I asked.

"No, that Ralph exists."

"What do you mean?" I said.

Athena seemed to stand a little straighter "You know of course that Ralph is not a normal child, what you do not know is that he has been blessed."

"Blessed how?" I frowned, stepping toward her.

"Ralph is blessed with an immortal soul." Her jaw quivered slightly. I could tell that even though she said blessed, it wasn't necessarily a good thing. An immortal soul, the soul of a god, how was that possible, he's a demi-god. My mind was exploding.

"Isn't that the soul of a god?" I asked "He can have been born with it so…"

"His soul was exchanged." She looked pained. I sat down on my bed and tried to regulate my breathing. I had not been expecting this.

"Why? How? I didn't know that was even possible." I babbled, biting my nail, I scrunched up my eyebrows in confusion.

"The soul is the part of yourself that harbours your destiny." She said sadly, prompting me.

"So, if you swap the souls, you swap the destinies," I gasped, placing my hands on my cheeks "Ralph has the destiny of a god."

She nodded "He also has the some of the divine energy carried with _that_ soul." She emphasized _'that'._

"Who's soul?" I said.

"My twin brother's soul, he had no name, he was simply called νέος βασιλιάς."

"You have a twin brother." I exclaimed. This was all too much to take in at once, this wasn't part of any myth, and no myth mentions Metis having a son.

"I had a twin brother, he faded, Zeus was told that if he and my mother, Metis, ever had a son that that son would overthrow him."

"Νέος βασιλιάς" It was easy to decipher "New King." I muttered.

"Yes, I did not know of him until four centuries ago when he reached me through thought. Even the strongest prison cell in the universe cannot hold a thought."

Athena gave me a condescending look "Your _Boyfriend_ knows that well." She said 'Boyfriend' like it was some sort of dangerous poison.

"He reached you like Kronos reached Percy."

She nodded "Indeed he did."

"So, what you're saying is that your brother's destiny is now Ralph's." The words caught in my throat.

Athena clenched her teeth "Ralph must overthrow Zeus." She sent me a stern look "Do not mention this to Percy, not yet." She stepped away and in a flash of white light she was gone.

I curled up on the bed, hugging my knees, my eyes filled up. If Zeus was overthrown then what would that mean for us? Humanity, would we be scrapped, will Νέος βασιλιάς want a whole new load of races. No, this wasn't happening. This couldn't happen. Not now, now that my life was getting so much better, I had a family, and a home, and a guy who loves me. This was a disaster.

Tears dripped off my cheek and onto my pillow.

Someone knocked on my door "Wise girl, can I come in?" Percy said from the other side of the door.

I didn't answer him; I just pressed my face deeper into my pillow.

He opened the door a little "Annabeth?"

He pushed the door open fully and came over to me. He crouched down in front of my face and wiped a tear off my nose "You okay? What's wrong?"

I thought about what my mom had said and bit my lip "I just don't feel that great." It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the whole truth.

Percy stood up, as if to leave, but instead he went round the other side of the bed and clambered on next to me. He put an arm around my waist and pulled me closer.

"Can I get you anything?" He asked, stroking my arm.

I shook my head feebly "Just stay here with me." I whispered.

He kissed my neck "I love you."

"I love you too." I said softly.

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	25. Chapter 22: She Won't Look At Me

**This is for everyone who's stayed with this story since there was just one chapter. If I could name you I would, but I can't, so I'm just want you to know that this chapter is for you personally. I'd love to hear from you.**

**Thank you everyone.**

**Percy's POV**

She's avoiding me. I don't know why. She just is. We speak a little, trivial and polite conversation, but she won't let me touch her. She flinches away at a fingertip. Doesn't she love me anymore? That would suck. Especially, since I'm still completely, unimaginably in love with her. It all started a week ago, when I found her crying in her room. I was a good boyfriend: I hugged her and told her I loved her, I wanted to know what was wrong. But, she's been distant ever since.

What did I do wrong? Why is she punishing me like this? Did I hurt her? I can't think of anything I've done that would cause her too look at me like she does now. No, that's a lie; she doesn't look at me period. I know it shouldn't kill me. But it does, when I finally catch her gaze and I see the recognition and fondness in her eyes, I feel my heart leap in with hope, but as quick as I see it, it is gone; replaced by pain, and her eyes flicker away, such a simple act but it cuts into my heart. I've gained so many scars this last week.

All of it, those years, those places, those battles, all that love, gone, with a turn of the wind. A touch of a button. The flick of a switch. The light has gone out in her. Something has crushed it. Something's crushed my Annabeth, and I'm going to find out what. No matter the consequences.

That's what I was thinking, When I confronted her yesterday.

"_I'll wash up," Annabeth said._

"_Thank you, Annabeth." Sally Jackson smiled, a warm, motherly smile "I've got some paperwork to sort out, Percy, you can dry up." Sally picked up the newspaper lying on the table, and walked out the room, stroking the back of my head as she passed. Humming as she went. She hadn't noticed the tension between Annabeth and I yet, but I had a feeling she would pick up on it very soon._

_I sat for a moment, contemplating my situation. The noise of Annabeth running the hot water was the only sound. She turned the tap off. The silence was intoxicating._

_I got up and strode over to the sink. I stood less than yard behind Annabeth. Her hair flowed in a golden waterfall down her back. I lifted up my hand, as if to touch it, a week ago I wouldn't have hesitated, but things were different then. I took my first finger and stroked single curl. It was the most I'd touched her for days._

_Annabeth jumped, she gasped as the plate she'd been washing plunged back into the soapy water with a 'plop'._

"_Percy, what are you doing?" Annabeth yelled. I hadn't done anything wrong, why did she have the right to shout at me? _

"_What am I doing?" I protested "What are you doing Annabeth?" She flinched like every syllable was a stab in the heart, "I haven touched you in days. I've been patient because it was obvious you wanted to be left alone for a bit, but this is crazy. Did I do something wrong? I'm sorry if I did, but you're killing me here Wise Girl." I bit my lip, holding back a very un-manly sob. _

_My eyes burned, I wanted to cry. I couldn't stand this. I loved her so much and she was pushing me away. It ached that I couldn't touch her._

_Annabeth hung her head, hiding her face with her hair. She just stood there and shook, with rage or dismay I wasn't sure. _

_I took her hands in mine, she tensed but she didn't push me away "Is this over? Cause I really don't want it to be. I love you, what went wrong? Why don't you love me anymore?" _

"_Oh Percy you're so obtuse," Annabeth sighed. She freed a hand from my grip and placed it on my cheek, "I can't be around you right now. But be patient. It'll turn out okay, I think. I'll tell you soon, but it's not time yet." _

_As Annabeth turned away I could see a tear in her eye. Thing is, Annabeth Chase doesn't cry. _

_I ran from the room, and up the stairs. I charged into the toilet and locked it, quickly. Hiding my face in my hands, I sat on the toilet lid. I don't often cry either, but I did then. I cried for what I feared I had lost. My beautiful Wise Girl. _

'_I can't be around you right now. But be patient__. It'll turn out okay, I think.__'_ what in the world is that supposed to mean? Not exactly reassuring, is it?

What happened a week ago while she was in her bedroom that made it hard to be with me?

**Annabeth's POV**

I curled up in my bed, bringing my knees up to my chest, as if to protect my heart from the constant, rhythmic pain searing through it whenever I thought of his stupid face.

I know it seems cruel … but I can't look at him. I can't speak to him. If I do I'll be tempted to tell him, and that would just put him in danger.

"Perseus Jackson, It's because I love you." I whisper to myself.

**Don't worry, I'd never break them up!**

**I know it was short, but it's all part of my plan. I'll update soon, I've already written up some of the next chapter. Review and you might get it sooner … no, that's mean … I feel mean now. But please take the time to review if you think I deserve one. My goal now is to get too 500.**


	26. Chapter 23: Nightmare of a New King

**Sorry, but..**

**Year 10= Lots and lots of work.**

Annabeth's POV

I squirmed in my sleep. Tensing and twisting subconsciously, filled with absolute terror, beads of sweat forming. The nightmare was on schedule as always.

It snaked around my mind, releasing forgotten fears from the cages, cages I had locked them in long ago. I saw Percy's face often, blurred and undefined, like it was made of smoke. But I could see my fears for him quite clearly, his sacrifice, his pain, his death. I saw my friends too, demigods and mortals. I saw them fall to the new order. I saw the world engulfed by fire and water. Burning and drowning, under the new king. This is the story of how the world dies.

I was stood at the centre of the battlefield, with flames in the place of grass and a blood red sky. The trees were black from continuous lightning strikes, comrades and friends fell around me, I was without my knife or my armour, helpless and solitary. As I looked on I knew that it wasn't just this field, the whole world was being consumed, and that I was the last defender. The last demigod. I wondered where my boyfriend's body lay on this plain of dead children.

The wind picked up and began to batter me, it swirled, picking up dust and antagonising the flames, they grew and blazed around the newly formed figure. A blonde child, a god, stood in Greek style, full body armour, with one hand on his sword hilt and another holding a shield out in front of himself. It had a flame design around the rim with the symbols nu and beta in the centre. But the worst part was seeing his eyes, empty and cold; they were no longer the eyes of Ralph Flockton. Something had crushed my new brother from the inside out and was using him. It was Luke all over again.

"_Join me Annabeth, and become a god." _New King smiled without joy,_ "Choose to forget and together we will rebuild a better world, a stronger world. Join me, little niece, and you will be worshiped for eternity. There is so much I can teach you, but you must forget them, forget them all."_

"_No, I will never forget." _I refused, tears tumbling down my cheeks. The pain was great, but I would rather die than forget those I had lost.

His expression showed no disappointment or remorse, _"Then you have sealed your own fate daughter of Athena," _The world went black, and naturally, I screamed. That was the point in the nightmare where I always woke up.

Someone burst into my bedroom, swooping over to me, scooping me into their arms.

"Shush," Percy hushed, rubbing a hand up and down my shaking back, "I'm here, and I'll always be here." I resisted the urge to push him away. I felt so much guilt when I looked into his face. Knowing that what we had was going to be torn apart. I wrapped my arms around his neck and buried my face in the soft fabric of his t-shirt.

**It's only short cause I felt it needed to be to make more of an impact. Now you all know what exactly is going on with Annabeth.**


	27. Chapter 24: The Best Of Me

'**To Storm or Fire the world must fall' seems like so sort of bad joke at the moment. My heart goes out to any of my readers that have got caught up in Sandy or have got family or friends who've been affected. I hope this chapter manages to take your mind off it.**

**I'm sorry if some of the basketball stuff doesn't make sense, I know nothing about basketball.**

**Percy's POV**

I was stood in the middle of the Basketball court with a sullen look on my face. I wasn't thinking about my team, squeaking and skidding around me, or what Joey was yelling. My head was full of worries about how everything is falling apart.

It feels like my whole life is falling into Tartaurus. My grades have dropped. My mom didn't shout when she saw the report card last week, she never shouts, she just looked away and went,

"_I know you're better than this, Percy."_ I would have preferred it if she had yelled at me.

Paul had been very disappointed, giving me a sermon about the importance of an education and that I should be trying to get the best out of the opportunities I have been given. But, my heart just isn't in it anymore. Not lessons, not basketball, not even swimming. Annabeth was like the glue holding the jigsaw that is my life together, now it's falling to pieces.

I don't think she's upset with me anymore. And, I think, that she still loves me. There is something else, an outsider, tearing us away from each other. I swear to you if I ever find out who or what it is, I'm going to run it through with Riptide. I don't even care if it's a god, I'll whip their divine butt.

I looked up to the stands, where she used to sit and watch me play, sometimes she would read too, or chat with Sky and Courtney. Now I just see Sky and Courtney, chatting and watching the team play.

"Percy," Robbie hollered.

'_THUMP' _the basketball hit me square in the middle of the chest. I keeled over, hitting the polished floor. I didn't try to get up; I just lay there, wallowing in self-pity.

"What is freakin up with you, Dude?" Joey shouted accusingly, scooping up the ball as he strode toward me.

"Nothing," I muttered, clambering back up, brushing non-existent dust off my shorts.

"Then stop freakin daydreaming and keep up with the rest of us," Joey growled.

"Sorry," I ran a hand through my hair, and hung my head a little in shame. Joey's features softened, he took a few, brisk steps forward, and put a hand on one of my slumped shoulders.

"Look man," Joey sighed in undertone so the other guy couldn't hear, "You're one of my best friends, and one of my best players. It's obvious you've got stuff going on at the moment, but when you're on the court or in the pool winning is your only aim."

I lifted my head to face him.

"Not getting good grades. Not making up with your girlfriend. Those will come later, but right now you're here and I need you. The team needs you. Some of the other guys and I need a basketball scholarship, Man, stuff that leads to a better life."

"I know," I nodded, "It's just …"

"Stuff happens," Joey interjected, "But you just got to keep moving forward. My mom always says 'Everything will be alright in the end, so if it's not alright, then it's not the end.' and she's right. Looking back doesn't do you any good unless you've got a Time Machine."

"Are you my friend or my Shrink?" I chuckled half-heartedly.

Joey gave me a slap on the back and smiled a crooked smile, running his long fingers over a newly trimmed afro, "See, you're smiling, you'll be okay. You always manage to get yourself out of pretty bad scrapes."

"Yeah," I smiled as he jogged away, "You don't know how right you are."

"Okay guys," Joey called, "we're going to do another drill. Then we're going to split in half and play a game so we can brush up on our passing."

**Annabeth's POV**

"One roasted veg paella, on the house." Lucena announced as she placed the steaming plate in front of me. I lifted my head off the table and took a sniff; it smelled gorgeous. Lucena pulled out the chair opposite and sat.

"Thanks, Lucy," I said, tracing the dents and cracks in the old wooden table.

"No problem," Lucena shrugged, "Seriously, no hassle for me, Karter cooked it." I smiled sadly.

"Thank you, Karter." I called.

"My pleasure," came his barely audible reply from the kitchen, which was still being remodelled after the Griffin incident. Karter's uncle, Raimundo, had finally completely forgiven Lucena and Karter for letting a huge, evil lion-bird destroy his pride and joy.

I stuck my fork into my meal and began to fish out the most mouth-watering looking vegetables. I wasn't really that hungry. But, being at Karter's uncle's restaurant was an excuse to get out the apartment and not be alone.

"Are you …" Lucena started, she, like everyone else, had started to notice how negative my mood had been lately.

"I told you Lucy," I interrupted, "I'm fine."

"I'm not dumb, Annabeth." Lucena said, "I might not be a daughter of the wisdom goddess, but I'm smart enough to be able to tell when someone's not doing so good."

"I know you're smart, Lucy, I just can't tell you, sorry." I said, giving her an apologetic look.

"That's okay," Lucena nodded, "But, talk to someone. Keeping problems bottled away doesn't help anyone. Why don't you speak to Percy about it?"

My jaw clenched and I took a deep breath, "I can't tell anyone, especially Percy." My throat caught.

"Why? You tell him everything."

"Not anymore," I mumbled.

"Why not? You two have been through so much. I mean, you used to be willing to die for each other." Lucena bit her lip.

"I'm pretty sure we still would. But, it's complicated. It's because …" I stopped and sighed; I'd told her as much as I could, "I can't tell you. I took an oath."

"Like I said, Annabeth," Lucena looked me right in the eyes; her bright blue irises seemed to darken, "I'm not dumb, I know what is coming to pass. It's my prophecy remember, mine and Karter's."

'_And Ralph's'_ I thought, then my eyes widened as I came to a sudden realisation, "You've known all along,"

"Karter and I always have,"

"You're not upset?" I asked.

"Of course I am," Lucena said exasperatedly, "I've lived a good life so far, and I'd like to live to old age. However, if it is time, I will not try to escape death. Eternal punishment waits for those who do. But, don't you dare think I'll go down without a fight."

"I don't plan to either, if I've got to die, I'm not going to just lie down and take it. I have plans for Percy and I's future and I promise you I will try my hardest to see through." I agreed.

"Then why are you pushing him away?" Lucena shook her head, before pursing her lips, clearly hoping she wasn't hitting a weak spot.

"I'm not really trying to, it's just that every time I look at him it's like a ton of bricks slamming down on my soul." I exclaimed, "I can't be with him without thinking what I'm going to lose. I know it sounds cliche, but, Perseus Jackson is the best thing that has ever happened to me, and now, I'm losing him."

"And who'd fault is that?" Lucena accused.

"How is that my fault?" I said in a pained tone.

"No one is forcing you to do it, are they?"

"No, but …"

Lucena held up a hand, "Then why are you doing it?"

"Because it hurts!" I yelled.

"Sure it does. Doesn't it always, but does it really hurt any less to not be with him?" Lucena's fists were clenched.

"No ... Yes …" I stumbled, "I'm not sure, I guess it doesn't."

"If we spent our lives thinking about what would happen if we were to die it would be a pretty sad use of something so precious." Lucena relaxed back into her chair.

"Very philosophical," I acknowledged.

"Don't spend the time you have left thinking about what you're going to lose. But, if it is time to go, remember the best of you. Why do you think I came home to Karter after all this time? Karter's always been the best of me, just as Percy has always been the best of you. Don't let Percy go into the fight thinking the love of his life doesn't love him back. After all, they say first loves last forever." Lucena sent me a warm smile.

"I thought I was supposed to be the wise one." I said.

"Annabeth daughter of Athena, you just got out wisdomed." Lucena folded her arms triumphantly.

"What do I do now?" I thought aloud, it wasn't really directed at Lucena but she answered anyway.

"Go find Percy," Lucena encouraged me "And tell him you love him."

"Are you sure you're not a child of Aphrodite?"

"Just go," Lucena ordered

"I didn't finish my Paella. Do you think Karter will mind?"

"For the god's sake, just go!" She pointed an insistent finger at the door.

I jogged through the packed New York streets, dodging people, dogs and traffic. The music that was the noise of the city filled my ears; cars revving, sirens wailing, the hum of conversation. The smell of burning gas and freshly baked food filled my nostrils. Percy's locket bounced on my neck.

My fatal flaw, thinking I could fix anything, had almost destroyed Percy and I's relationship. The end of the world as I know it is one thing is something I can only try to fix. Percy and I will always be drawn back to each other. I don't need to fix that, because it can never be broken. Even at the end of everything.

A car beeped at me as I sprinted across the road to Goode High School. I walked through the double doors and strode off purposefully toward the indoor basketball court.

I slid in through the side door and snuck up the bleachers toward a long-legged blonde who had yet to notice me.

"Hey Sky," I greeted her quietly as I sat down.

She jumped a little, "Oh, hey Annabeth,"

"Where's Courtney?"

Sky gestured toward the door with her head, "She had to go talk to Miss Stone about something or other,"

"Okay," I agreed, though I wasn't really paying attention any more. I had caught sight of a dark haired boy sprinting around on the court.

It seemed like years since I had properly looked at that handsome face. His green eyes flickered with a small light, like a single spark of Greek fire, as they followed the every twist and turn of the basketball. He was poised on the balls of his feet, his hands ready to catch it if it came hurtling in his direction. He was completely engrossed in the game and hadn't noticed me yet.

As I gazed at him I pushed away all the negative emotions, letting all the love and hope I felt for him flow over me.

"When do they finish?" I asked Sky, my eyes still focused on Percy.

"Next basket,"

I watched the training session a little longer. Percy's team were good, passing well without hesitation. Percy passed swiftly to the Mexican kid that got called Kiwi who spun and flung it, over a tall, freckly boy, to Joey who leapt, caught it and dropped it smoothly in the basket.

Percy's team burst into cheers and woops.

Joey spoke up as the noise subsided, "Nice job guys. That was a close game, we're making progress. I'll see you all in a couple of days; let's hope Coach is well again by then."

The team broke up, picked up their stuff and filed into the changing rooms till only Joey and Percy were left. The few kids that were sat around in the stands began to leave, soon Sky and I were the only ones left on the bleachers.

**Percy's POV**

Joey approached me again after the game finished, "That was a lot better, are you okay now?"

I sighed, "I wouldn't say okay, but a bit better than before. Thanks for caring Joe." I gave him an appreciative smile.

"No problem. I've got a date with Sky now, so I'm going to go clean up." Joey gestured to where Sky was sitting. I blinked in disbelief, but it was true. Annabeth was sat next to Sky, smiling down at me.

Joey saw my face and turned to see what I was staring at, "Oh, right, am I allowed to say I told you so?"

He sucked in a deep breath and yelled up to Sky, sending her a wink, "I'll meet you out front in a few minutes,"

Joey made his way off the court and through the door to the changing room, wriggling his eyebrows at me as he went. Sky picked up bag, pattered down the stairs and out the door.

Annabeth got up, and smoothed her shirt before she folded her arms and walked toward me slowly. It felt like years passing as she walked. She stopped when we were a few inches apart, stood in the centre of the court.

"I don't know what to say," I said with my mouth hanging open.

"I'm so sorry Percy, but I want you to know it wasn't your fault in any way." Annabeth reassured me.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I am," She said.

"I just want you to come back to me." I admitted.

"Well, then you're in luck," Annabeth grinned, slipping her hand into mine. It felt so warm and familiar my heart leapt for joy.

"Will you ever tell me why?"

"As soon as possible," She promised.

"Is that the best offer I'm going to get, Wise Girl?" My eyes shined at being able to use that nickname again.

"I'm afraid so, Seaweed Brain." Annabeth said with a demure smile. She looked so lovely. The light coming through the windows was hitting her hair at such an angle that it looked like it was glowing, and her eyes had never looked a clearer and brighter grey. I slipped my other hand into the one hanging by her side.

"So, does everything got back to normal now?" I asked.

"Well," Annabeth answered "As normal as demigodly possible."

"I guess that's all I can ever hope for," I sighed.

"Is it really that bad?" Annabeth's smile widened.

"Not at all," I said.

She released my hands and I placed them on her waist as her hands went to cradle my face. I leaned in to place my lips on hers; they were as soft and warm as I remembered. I brought her as close to me a possible, circling my arms around her waist as her hands slipped into my hair. It felt so natural, like we'd never been apart. I stroked the soft, tiny, invisible hairs at the base of her back. Her eyelashes tickled my cheek as she brought her mouth away from mine and down to my neck. She pressed herself against me in an embrace.

"We'll get through this," Annabeth muttered.

"Don't we always?"

"I love you." She whispered, and I felt a tear splash onto my shoulder.

"I love you too," I pressed my lips against her hair, "this is where we belong."

"Uh hum?" A familiar voice rang through the silence. Annabeth pushed me away gently as we tentatively turned to face the intruder.

I saw the apologetic face of a certain Centaur peered out of an Iris message at us.

"Chiron?" I squinted.

"Hello Percy, Annabeth. Sorry to interrupt, something's cropped up at camp. How soon can you get here?" Chiron said, the lines on his forehead deepened, "And bring the others."

**REVIEW**

**2703 WORDS! WOW, this is one of the longest chapters I have ever written! **

**Was it too cheesy? I tried to make it as heartfelt as possible without it being cheesy.**


	28. Chapter 25: Family

**Sorry this has taken so long. I hope this makes up for it ;)**

**Annabeth's POV**

I grunted as I tried for the third time to squeeze my suitcase shut. I laid across it, biting my lip in concentration. I tugged the zippers round to meet each other. I looped the lock through and clipped it shut. Breathing out triumphantly, I sat in quiet on my bed for a second. Everything was going at a million miles per hour, it felt good to just sit and contemplate for a while.

Percy had rushed off twenty or so minutes ago to round up the demi-gods. I was tired of Chiron keeping me in the dark. He wanted Percy, the Stolls, Karter, Lucy, Ralph and I at Camp as soon as possible, but I was blind as to why. I didn't have a good feeling about it though.

An insistent 'beep, beep' rang up from the street. I jumped up and stumbled over some books to lean out the window. The Red Poppies in the window box tickled my chin. I always thought Red Poppies were perfect for a bedroom window box; sleep, oblivion, imagination, consolation. They were my own personal choice.

"Come on, you ready?" Percy called up, his hands cupped around his mouth. He was stood in front of a bright yellow minivan.

"Yeah, hold on, I'm coming." I flew away from the window and grabbed my silver case. I half tugged, half carried it down the stairs, dragging it out of the front door and trying to avoid it clipping my heels as it tumbled down the stairs after me.

"Need any help?" Percy teased out the window of his ugly, yellow van.

I huffed, "Where did you get that thing?"

"Hey!" Percy protested with a grin, he patted the side, "Don't insult my second favourite girl." I rolled my eyes.

"Who's in the back?" I changed the subject.

"Only your favourite person in the Universe!" Travis exclaimed sliding the door open to show Lucy and Karter sat one row back with Connor in the row in front of them; he was violently swinging from side to side with a comically serious look on his face, while clinging to his game console.

"You wish, Travis." I smiled at Karter and Lucy, "Hey,"

"Hi," Lucena said as Karter lifted a hand in greeting and grinned.

"Connor?" I said expectantly.

" 'Sup Annabeth," Connor didn't even look up from his game. I leant over and wacked him playfully in the back of the head. Connor quickly pressed the pause button.

"Hey!" Connor leant away from me, frowning, "Annabeth! I'm nearly at my high-score. I only just managed to pause."

"You're such a dork, Connor." Percy said, leaning through the gap in-between the front seats.

"So, who's going to help me get this in the back?" I gestured to my suitcase. Everybody suddenly became very interested in their shoes.

"I will," Percy announced, jumping out the van, he then smirked; "on one condition …" He pointed to his cheek.

I pressed my smiling lips to his cheek. Percy bounced over to my suitcase.

I started, "Why don't we both take an end of it and …" Percy lifted the case up onto his right shoulder, holding it there with one hand and strolled off round the back of the van.

"Oh," I said, "Okay. Or you could just do that, Show-off."

"Get in the van, Wise Girl." Percy called. I huffed as I got onto the passenger seat.

"Alright?" Percy asked as he clambered onto the diving seat next to me.

"Wait, where's Ralph?" I spun round just to check he wasn't in the back, even though I'm pretty sure I would have noticed.

Karter raised an eyebrow at me, "Convincing four demigods to go on at trip with their friend, easy. Convincing a father to give said demigods custody of his little boy, not so easy. Or so we've figured."

"In a nutshell," Lucena said.

"So we still have to get Ralph somehow?" I concluded.

"Afraid so,"

"Well, then I guess we have to make another visit to Spencer Flockton."

"Or, we could just go. Ralph's a bit young anyway." I argued. I was actually trying to avoid my dream. I'll try anything to avoid that. Anything.

"No. Chiron made it very clear we need Ralph. Gods know why, poor kid." Karter shook his head.

"Yeah, if we turn up there without him we'll get trampled." Travis said with worrying glee.

"What's happening guys? These last few weeks," I turned round and knelt up on the seat so I could see everyone, "It's like I've got a thousand piece jigsaw and one minute to put it together."

Everyone sent me various looks of painful agreement. Even Connor looked up from game to scrunch his eyebrows together in worry.

Lucena looked up at me with sad eyes; I could tell she was thinking about our conversation earlier that evening about Percy and Karter, "Well, if anyone can piece it together, you can."

Percy took my hand off the seat and kissed the palm, "I'll second that. Now, let's hit the road."

I rang the doorbell.

"Coming,"

After arriving at the EDF energy headquarters only to discover that Mr Flockton was working from home we then drove back through the busy NY streets to the Flockton apartment. So as not to overwhelm the Flockton family Percy and I were chosen to go alone.

The door swung open to reveal a grinning, little, blonde boy, "Hello, Percy and Annabeth."

"Ralph, Sweetie, what have I told you about answering the door." Alice, Sky's step-mom, cooed as came round the corner with her daughter, Katie, on her hip.

"It's just Percy and Annabeth." Ralph frowned.

"I know that," Alice ran a hand through Ralph's hair, "But it could have been someone not as nice." She turned to Percy and I and cocked her head, "Shouldn't you guys be at school?"

"Uh …" Percy gulped.

"Urgent family stuff, Mrs Flockton," I stepped in.

"Oh, okay." Alice nodded slowly, "Then what are you doing here?"

"I'm sorry, Alice, it'll all make sense later." Percy said urgently, "Is Mr Flockton in?"

Alice suddenly looked very worried, pressing her cheek into Katie's curls and gripping Ralph's shoulder, "Spencer's in his office."

"Thanks,"

She moved out the way so we could come in, I reached out to grab Percy's hand, he squeezed it reassuringly. I sent Alice an apologetic look.

"Sorry to intrude." I said, and I meant it.

Percy knocked on the study door, "Mr Flockton?"

"Come on in," He called. We entered at went to stand in front of his desk.

"Mr Flockton, sorry but …"

"I know why you're here." Spencer interjected, "I spoke to Ralph's mother last night. I knew this was going to happen sometime, but I always thought Ralph would be older."

"Sorry, Sir." Percy hung his head.

"It's not your fault kid. Blame it on the fates." Spencer smiled sadly, getting out of his seat.

"We'll take good care of him." I promised, "He's my blood, I'll protect him with my life."

"That's what I'm afraid of." Spencer picked a photo frame off the desk, "That kids will die. That my son will die."

"Kids are always dying, Sir. It's never good, but it's true. But we would never let any harm come to Ralph." Percy muttered.

"You're good kids. Let's get Ralph packed, shall we?" Spencer pushed Percy's comment aside.

We made our way into the dining room where Ralph was attacking a plate of fish and fries. Katie was in a highchair next to him. I could see Alice by the oven, mixing something in a pan.

"Hey Mate," Spencer went up behind his little boy and kissed his head, "You're going on a trip with Percy and Annabeth. Won't that be nice? Why don't you go get packed?"

"Yay, are we going now." Ralph knelt up on his chair and grinned.

"As soon as you finish your fish and chips," Spencer choked up a little.

"Fish and fries, Spencer. What's happening?" Alice came over, wiping her hands on a towel. Ralph finished stuffing the last of his fries in his mouth.

Ralph leapt up from the table and Percy picked him up, holding Ralph against his chest, "We're going on a trip, aren't we buddy?"

"Yeah," Ralph grinned, "I'm going with Percy and Annabeth."

"I thought you said you were here on family business?" Alice quizzed, folding her arms. Katie let out a gurgle.

"Alice, just trust me." Spencer implored her.

"Its okay, Mr Flockton. She should know." I told him.

"Know what?" Alice said.

"Ralph, Honey, where's your photo of your mom?" I asked softly.

He pursed his lips, his eyes wide, "In my back pocket." My heart melted. He kept her picture on him.

"Can I borrow it?" I said. He nodded.

I took the photo from his pocket and took my version out of my pocket. Alice was looking between Ralph and me intently. I handed her the two photos and watched as she looked from one to the other. I watched it click. Even though Ralph's was fuzzy, it was easy to see that they were the same woman.

"You've got the same mom!" Alice exclaimed, looking up at me, "I can't believe I didn't see it before, the eyes."

"What?" Ralph pushed away from Percy and landed on the floor.

"You're my little brother Ralph." I smiled down at him.

"I knew it," Ralph whispered. Searching for himself in my face.

"Of course you did. You're smart, it runs in the family." I winked. He chuckled.

"So does being pedantic, or maybe that's just a girl thing, or maybe that's just an Annabeth thing." Percy leant against the wall.

I sent Percy a dark look, "Big words from the Seaweed Brain."

"Will you tell me about her?" Ralph said before Percy could think of a good comeback.

"We've got the whole of the journey to talk." I offered.

"Let's get you packed, Little Man." Spencer steered his son toward his bedroom.

When Ralph was all packed, Alice and Spencer kissed him goodbye. He kissed Katie goodbye and then took my hand, telling his family that he loved them. Ralph didn't let go of my hand till I placed him in the van. Ralph was intrigued by all the older kids surrounding him and making a fuss of him.

"Think of us as your family too Ralph." I brushed his hair out his eyes and stroked his cheek.

"You are my family, and if they are your family, then they are mine too." Ralph smiled.

_**Red Poppies-**_

"_**They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:**_

_**Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.**_

_**At the going down of the sun and in the morning,**_

_**We will remember them."**_

_**In love and respect to the brave men who have laid down their lives for their Country. We will never forget.**_

_**Sir Winston Churchill-**_

_**"Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duty, **_

_**and so bear ourselves that, if the British Empire **_

_**and its Commonwealth lasts for a thousand years,**_

_**men will still say, **_

_**'This was their finest hour.'"**_

_**This chapter of my work is in remembrance of my great grandfather Thomas William Stephenson, who fought in WW1, only to die as a member of the North Thumberland Home Guard trying to save a woman and her toddler from the neighbouring house that was later bombed with him in it.**_

_**And to my grandmother, who lost her home and her father that day. The Doctors say that that kind of traumatic experience as a child may have been a factor in the deterioration of her mental health.**_

_**No good can come from war, except peace, which ironically is one of the things it destroys.**_

_**Wear your poppies proudly!**_

"_**Lest we forget"**_


	29. Chapter 26: No Escape

**Seriously, your reviews make me want to punch the air. When people say they sat for hours reading or when they review every chapter I just … well, if you want the truth … I make little squeaking noises.**

**I've haven't been writing recently because I was out a lot in the holiday's and I've had exams to study for. Plus, we just got a new puppy, so cute, 8 weeks old. She's asleep next to me right now. Her name's Harley, named after the rugby team: Harlequins. And cause she zooms around like a Harley Davidson. It's like having a toddler: She sleeps, she poops, she plays, then she sleeps again.**

**I'm listening to 'Everybody Talks' – Neon Trees**

**The chapter you've all been waiting for: 'What does Chiron want?' I hear you shout… well … you'll see…**

**Percy's POV**

Annabeth and Ralph talked none stop throughout the whole journey. Ralph chatted on about what his Dad had told him about Athena, and what he was good at, what he thought he'd got from her, what his hobbies were, and … well, everything really. It was sweet, but my ears were ringing by the time we made it to Long Island. Annabeth was almost as enthusiastic, but by the time we got to Camp I could tell she was a little tired.

Lucena, Karter, and the Stoll's laughed and snickered in the back, chatting, and singing along to the radio as we trundled along the roads.

As I drove up the hill, to park inside the border, I saw the silhouette of a familiar centaur emerge on the crest of the hill. His hooves shuffled back and forth as if he were anxious.

I parked the car on the other side of the border as he trotted over to us. His tail swished with fake contentedness, but when I looked into his eyes I could see panic hidden behind his irises.

"Hello, welcome," He wore a smile and his voice was calm, but I could see through it, and from Annabeth's worried face I'm guessing she could too. He had seemed worried in the message yesterday, but now he looked like he was coming apart.

"Hi," Lucena sent him a coy smile.

"Lucena, a daughter of Apollo." Chiron bowed his head at her.

"Yes," Her smile widened.

Chiron looked at Ralph, increased pain rose in his face when his eyes fell to meet those of the little, seven year old, Demigod, "And Ralph, son of Athena, yes?"

"Yes, Sir," Ralph nodded eagerly, and then frowned, looking round a Chiron's rear end, "You have pony legs!" Which I thought was a rather calm reaction to the situation.

"Indeed," Chiron looked amused," I am a centaur, Child." It was probably just my imagination, but he seemed to hesitate at the word 'Child'.

"I know, Sir," Ralph grinned, "I'm good at History."

Chiron smiled, a genuine smile this time, "Please, my name is ..."

"Chiron, I know," Ralph interrupted. Chiron's eyes flickered to Annabeth, she smiled knowingly. Probably something **Nostalgic** no doubt.

**(A/N: Please check out my one-shot 'Nostalgia' for Annabeth and Chiron's first meeting.)**

"Well then, Travis, Connor, would you take Lucena and Ralph to see the orientation film." Chiron ordered, "And Karter, why don't you get settled in; three of you in the Euphrosyne cabin now."

"What!" Karter jumped.

"Yes, two sisters, Riley and Robin, twelve and fourteen; Run along and introduce yourself." Chiron prompted. Karter tugged his pack from the car boot and sprinted off. I smiled at Karter's eagerness to meet his sisters. The guy deserved some good news.

The Stolls, Lucena and Ralph collected their bags and began to set off. Ralph walked a for a second or two, then ran back and hugged Annabeth's waist, "Bye, Annabeth,"

Annabeth kneeled down and kissed his hair, "Bye, I'll see you later; maybe I'll come and help you unpack?"

"Okay," Ralph agreed, releasing himself from the hug and sprinted over to the Stolls and Lucena, his little, red backpack bouncing against his back, "Bye, Percy," he yelled.

"Bye, Little man." I waved.

We both looked to where Chiron was shuffling his hooves nervously. He no longer wore a calm mask but let his panicked determination shine through.

"What is it, Chiron?" Annabeth clenched her jaw in readiness. Annabeth and I's demeanours had changed too.

"I'm not sure yet, but your mother's hiding something." Chiron's face fell even further, "I've never seen visions so … lucid. The prophecy … come see." I'd never seen Chiron look terrified before. Not like this anyway.

We half jogged, half ran toward Rachel's cave. Friends shouted over to us as we made our way through Camp, but we just waved and made it clear we couldn't stop.

We finally reached Rachel's cave and Chiron pulled back the red curtain slowly, as if he had to force himself. I could hear hissed mutterings and the scratchy sound of a paintbrush against a stiff surface.

"Secrets," A raspy voice, almost snake-like, but with a hidden undertone that I could just about mark out as Rachel's voice, "Secrets in the stars." she muttered.

Chiron trotted across the tiled hallway and pulled back another curtain to reveal Rachel. She was on a wooden stool, wearing her usual paint-covered t-shirt and jeans, with her fiery hair pulled back by a olive green bandana, she was dabbing away at the canvas furiously, "faded … faded scars …" And when I say canvas, I mean the wall.

The room had no furniture, except for about a dozen, classic, wooden easels. All with canvases on them or leaning up against them. All the canvases were covering bright, fiery colours. Showing the world ablaze. People in pain. Cities burning to the ground. Mortals crying and running. It terrified me, was this the future?

"She finished off all her canvases yesterday," Chiron said, downcast.

I gulped as I observed the painting on the wall. I turned to see Annabeth's reaction, she pursed her lips as she looked up, holding back a whimper, her eyes filling with tears. Towering over her was a larger than life portrait of her new little brother, standing among flames, a shining sword in his grip. But he didn't look like little, cheerful Ralph Dominic Sebastian Spencer Flockton anymore, there was archaism and revenge in the way he stood.

Rachel, or what looked like Rachel, turned to face us, her eyes flickering with shadowy, green light, "The secret bound to the stars … it is coming to pass."

My eyes widened; I remembered Karter's words as he had wept by Lucena's broken body,

"_The fate of light and joy intertwined_

_Their hearts it does tightly bind_

_Descendants of time tied as one_

_After he himself is gone_

_A secret kept for 15 years_

_Till the son of water appears_

_The secret bound to the stars_

_Will reopen histories faded scars._

_I was so sure she was part of it; Clarisa always said it was about us, both of us."_

"A prophecy, the oldest prophecy of all; it is coming to pass." Chiron said, his nostrils flared, speaking as if the words tasted bad, "And I know who it involves."

"Who?" Annabeth ventured, knowing she would probably regret asking.

Chiron lent over and pulled across a green curtain, uncovering a previously hidden section of the wall. It showed Karter and Lucena alongside Ralph among the flames, hostile and unforgiving.

"Don't you see?" The Rachel-like thing stopped painting and turned, "A secret hidden in the stars; Ancient souls of the heavens come to bless the bodies of heroes. A miracle that shall bring about a new age, Oi asterismoí tou galaxía ti̱s Andromédas, Orion , Néos Vasiliás . No escape."

**PLEASE TAKE PART IN MY POLL! RATE ME AS A WRITER, ON MY WRITING, NOTHING ELSE!**

**Any theories on where this is heading? I would love to hear them. **

**The meaning of "Oi asterismoí tou galaxía ti̱s Andromédas , Orion , néos vasiliás ." is "The constellations of Andromeda, Orion and New King.**


	30. Chapter 27: Everthing and Nothing

**I can but apologise deeply for the wait. To all 370 of my beautiful followers! To everyone who reads this story! **

**Listening to 'Hopeless Wander' – Mumford and Sons**

**Annabeth's POV**

As you can imagine, after our encounter with 'Rachel' in her cave Percy and I fell into a sort of self-pitying slumber. Percy wasn't quite as shaken as I, not that that's saying much. I was a mess … again. This time I was better at hiding it though.

Percy and I didn't speak about it, there was no point; we just sat by the lake, arms around each other and pretended that we knew nothing about the prophecy, like we were as clueless about our futures as we had been before we'd known Ralph, or Lucena, or even Karter. We were laughing and talking but not like before; it was forced.

I realised it was all on me now. I was the only Mortal who knew as much as I did about Ralph's hidden side. I guess every hero looks forward to this day. The day they have a chance, a good chance too, to save the world, just, perhaps not at the expense of a precious life. That being the life of their sweet and seemingly harmless little brother. That was the terrible choice I faced: Ralph or the world.

I could tell Zeus whose soul lived within Ralph, and be the cause of his destruction, never being able to look his family in the eyes for as long as I lived (And probably at my own reflection), or, I could keep quiet and watch the world burn, along with everything and everyone I loved.

If I think about as though Ralph were a distant nobody whom I had never met before, it seems like an easy decision; one life in exchange for millions. But, Ralph was so young and innocent, clueless to what, or rather who, hid deep inside him. Lucy and Karter too, were they dangerous? How much did they know? I needed to speak with them.

How could my Mother do this to me? Surely she would have known I would be torn. More to the point, how did she manage to be condone the fact she put a the vengeful soul of a powerful god, Zeus's true first son and heir, into her baby son's delicate body, knowing that he might be destroyed.

I didn't even know if Ralph's death would mean the death of the 'New King'. I just knew it was my best shot, but I didn't think I'd ever be ready to take that chance.

I found Lucena and Karter practising their archery. Or rather, Lucena was laughing at Karter's attempts at archery. Seriously, Karter was making Percy look good.

I swore, "Hades" as a rouge arrow zoomed past me so close I felt the air ripple at my side.

Karter tensed, "Sorry!" he yelled apologetically, "Annabeth … didn't see you there."

"It's okay. You missed, that's the main thing." I laughed it off as convincingly as I could.

"Bad archer, but I'm learning." Karter grinned.

"Hey, Annabeth," Lucena jogged over, "What's up?"

"Nothing really," I answered quickly, "I just, well, I was wondering if I could speak to you two in private." It was a command rather than a suggestion.

Karter glanced at Lucena before turning back to me, "Sure, what is it?"

I breathed out slowly, "Somewhere a little more private than this."

Lucena and Karter looked tentatively at each other, and then nodded at me. Curious to hear what was going on they followed me toward the forest without question.

After about 20 minutes of trudging through the undergrowth, Lucena and Karter began to get restless.

"You know," Karter joked, "If you want to kill us there was a nice spot just back there."

I couldn't bring myself to send them even a faint smile. Karter's suggestion was too close to my dark thoughts for any comfort. I mentally slapped myself. How could I be thinking of even holding a weapon up against these two kids? They weren't even old enough to buy lottery tickets. What was happening to me? I remembered what a wise centaur had once told me, _'Desperation makes people do crazy things, Annabeth.'_

I had stopped in a large, shadowy clearing. We were deep in the forest; Far away from where a camper or satyr could stumble upon this confrontation.

"I need to know everything you know about the prophecy?"

Lucena nodded gravely, "I thought this might be about that. Your mother is the reason for the prophecy, Annabeth. Athena is responsible for all of what is to come, even though she herself isn't going to be part of it directly."

I took a step toward them, "What do you mean? What did she do?" I said in earnest.

Lucena held up three fingers, "She released three souls from the heavens. The first two were accidents, released fifteen years ago. A pure human could never hold a blessed and divine soul, so the souls from the heavens searched for two newborn demi-gods to become their hosts. They found Karter and I. The souls stayed together, bound together because they were released by the same incantation. Karter and I are bound together, through some divine bond."

"But, then are you even Karter and Lucy, or are you those heroes? Orion and Andromeda."

"We're both," Karter explained, "Everything that Karter is has become Orion too. My mind, personality, traits, gifts, abilities, likes and dislikes, that's all Karter. That's all me. Orion would have simply been my destiny, had he not already lived his destiny."

"So," I gulped, "What you're saying is that, Orion, you're divine soul, doesn't affect who you are?"

"Exactly," Karter grinned, "I'm still me. I'm not Orion, and I never will be, even though his memory lives inside of me, because his destiny has already played out. He has already lived and died as the fates decided. He will never have any control over who I am, though his thoughts sometimes stray into my head, and he speaks through me. When I die his soul shall return to stars, and mine shall leave its prison in the stars to make its way to Hades. If there still is a Hades, that is."

"The same with my soul," Lucena added, "Andromeda has lived her destiny. My soul has no control over my future. In truth, the fates have no control over Karter and I's lives at all. We're, quite literally, free spirits."

"What about Ralph?" I said my voice barely above a whisper, carried by the wind.

"Ralph?" Karter's face was dark, "Is he the vessel of the third?"

"You could say that," I stared at the muddy, leaf-ridden ground.

"No," Lucena breathed in a heartbroken tone, "But he's … he's so little."

It's strange how just three words can send your mind in new and devastating territories. With the words '_He's so little,'_ my mind began to race with the negative possibilities that could be Ralph's future; the possibilities that could be the end the world. Were Rachel's predictions real? She'd never been wrong before. The idea washed over me so suddenly I felt nauseous and I could hear my heart thumping between my ears. I squinted through the discomfort.

"Tell me the worst," I begged them, "I want to know. What's going to happen to him? What's going to happen to Ralph?"

Karter gave me a terrifyingly cold look of deference and sadness. It was a look that I had never expected to see on his face. I felt a sudden cold pass over me, like I had been hit by a freezing breeze. This feeling of cold terror sent shivers down my spine. I was speaking to Orion now.

I waited in silence, both anticipating and dreading their answer.

Karter looked at me, and for a moment I could see his ancient, yet youthful, soul: It burned dimly but persistently in his very being. It was golden brown and evergreen. I was reminded of how it was the soul of a hunter. The only man Artemis ever loved; a man who could bring down a young buck with a single arrow from 100s of yards away. Orion was a man who'd known the worst kind of betrayal; to be slain before his time by his closest friend. He was a man who'd spent an eon in the heavens watching the world to which he once belonged and that once belonged to him, in despair of his detachment.

Orion's broken soul spoke through Karter now, "Prepare for the worst, Annabeth Chase."

"He's seven," I lost all ability to use facial expression, and so went blank, "He's only seven years old."

A shining, salty tear dripped silently from Lucena's eyelid, "We know," she breathed deeply. The eyes are indeed the windows to the soul. It was if Lucena and Karter were no longer Lucena and Karter, but two strangers I had only just met.

Lucy's eyes were misted over and darker than usual, but I could see the depth shimmering clearly beneath the surface; hiding in plain sight. It was like searching for an old friend in a crowd, they're easy to spot if you know them. If you know every curve and colour that makes them who they are. In Lucena's eyes I saw a girl, not much older than herself, in pain, tied to a rock by her own father. Andromeda had taken hold.

Both sets of ancient eyes, Karter's and Lucena's, weighed me down, igniting my emotions.

"Sometimes the fates are cruel," Orion's soul spoke softly through Karter into the hushed silence.

I felt a sudden anger. How could Orion know how the fates were this cruel? He had died in his prime as far as I knew. He'd had a good long life; good food, good friends, everything. Until the night he died. How can he begin to understand how unfair the death of a seven year old is? The death of a child?

"How dare you pretend you know what it's like! How old were you when you died?" I spat harshly. Karter knew I was speaking to Orion now, "What? 30 .. 35?"

"I was 16," Karter clenched his jaw, "Do not presume things, Daughter of Athena, work with facts, they do you credit."

My anger embarrassed me, "16," I repeated. I stepped away from them into the shadows of the trees.

"You died an old woman though," I turned to Andromeda and stated meekly, "Didn't you?"

Lucena nodded, "In the end, I suppose, but I never really recovered. In my mind, I spent my life on that rock, chained down and waiting for death. No matter how loving Perseus was, he could never right that wrong."

I was startled for a second before I remembered, "Andromeda married Perseus, Percy's namesake."

I decided this was perhaps the time to leave the conversation, "I'll see you guys later. I need some time." I walked away too quick for them to answer, but not quite quick enough to miss their pitying looks. I didn't want their pity. I wanted my little brother safe. It's intriguing how fast a bond can form between two people when you have something in common. In this case, blood.

I stumbled out of forest after 20 minutes of trudging back over dead leaves and sticks. I began to stroll, in no particular direction. I ended up looking in the window of my cabin, watching the scene within.

My brother Arlen, nearly 17 years old, with floppy blonde hair and bright silver eyes he looked like an older version of Ralph, who was suspended above his head. Arlen was lying on Ralph's bed; he was using his feet to hold Ralph above him in an aeroplane type fashion, much to the amusement of my other siblings.

My little sister, Chloe, stood to the side, slight and fair, only 10 years old. She had been the baby of our cabin before Ralph, and eagerly awaited her turn.

Halle's back was to me, but I could tell it was her from the blue and yellow, skull candy earphones strapped to her bobbing head.

Noah, with a mass of golden curls so large it was a wonder he could see, was reading a large book on archaeology. He was pretending to be indifferent to the antics nearby, and failing miserably; a crack of a smile crept out all the same.

The twins, Marshall and Alexis, were sat on the floor, playing a very violent version of 'Supernatural' top trumps. As per usual Alexis was convinced Marshall was cheating, which, to be honest, he probably was, and Malcolm had to intervene to stop them getting their swords out and attacking each other.

The sight through the window was the kind of sight that I had been taking for granted for so many years, not knowing how precious it really was. Some of them I knew better than others, but they were my family. I wish I could have been oblivious to the future like them. Just to have a few more days of knowing nothing.


End file.
